Leicester City beat Danish side Randers in their Europa Conference League knockout round play-off first leg.
Wilfried Ndidi gave the Foxes the lead with a side-footed finish from Ademola Lookman’s pass.
Vito Hammershoej-Mistrati levelled for Randers against the run of play, but Harvey Barnes restored the lead with a turn and clever finish.
Patson Daka added a third and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall slotted home after good work by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Daka appeared offside before tapping in after Youri Tielemans’ shot was parried – but the video assistant referee system is only used in the final of Uefa’s newest tournament.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers claimed he did not know what this competition was or that his side were in it after finishing third in their Europa League group.
But he named a strong team nonetheless and the second leg in Denmark next week should be a formality.
The winners of this tie face one of the Europa Conference League group winners in the last 16.
Winning the whole thing would put Leicester in next year’s Europa League and it may be their best bet of doing so.
They were far too good for the Danish Cup winners, who have never been further than the first round of a European competition before.
Daka headed over, Dewsbury-Hall had a shot cleared off line, Caglar Soyuncu had a half-volley saved and Daniel Amartey headed wide – all before the first goal.
The chances continued to come, 23 shots in total, and they will rarely have an easier night in Europe.
The one worry was James Maddison going down unchallenged in the second half, although he was able to walk off the pitch with assistance.
Rodgers told BT Sport: “He wasn’t feeling well so we took him off. He is in with the medics and he feels fine.”
Leicester had not won in five games in all competitions before this win.
“This group will get back to its level, it is just time and players coming back,” added Rodgers. “The fluency was good, we looked dynamic.
“Our goal for the remainder of the season is to finish as high as we can in the league, to keep developing, improving and to get players back.
“We want to finish as strong as we can and bring that into the following season. In this competition, everyone is in it to win it and we are no different.”
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Schmeichel
- 18Amartey
- 4Söyüncü
- 23Vestergaard
- 11Albrighton
- 8Tielemans
- 25NdidiSubstituted forMaddisonat 64′minutesSubstituted forChoudhuryat 83′minutes
- 22Dewsbury-HallSubstituted forSoumaréat 83′minutes
- 37Lookman
- 29DakaSubstituted forIheanachoat 64′minutes
- 7BarnesSubstituted forPérezat 83′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Maddison
- 12Ward
- 14Iheanacho
- 17Pérez
- 20Choudhury
- 35Jakupovic
- 42Soumaré
- 53Ewing
Randers FC
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Carlgren
- 7Kallesøe
- 8Piesinger
- 2Graves
- 15Kopplin
- 10KehindeSubstituted forKlysnerat 76′minutes
- 6Johnsen
- 14LauenborgSubstituted forTibblingat 65′minutes
- 9AnkersenSubstituted forBundgaardat 45′minutes
- 99KamaraSubstituted forBrock-Madsenat 65′minutes
- 20Hammershøy-MistratiSubstituted forEnggårdat 87′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Andersson
- 5Andersson
- 12Tibbling
- 16Enggård
- 17Lauridsen
- 18Klysner
- 19Bundgaard
- 22Nybo
- 25Dakir
- 40Bundgaard
- 44Brock-Madsen
- Referee:
- Radu Marian Petrescu
Match Stats
Live Text
-
Match ends, Leicester City 4, Randers FC 1.
-
Second Half ends, Leicester City 4, Randers FC 1.
-
Attempt saved. Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ademola Lookman with a through ball.
-
Attempt missed. Simon Piesinger (Randers FC) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
-
Attempt missed. Ademola Lookman (Leicester City) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
-
Corner, Randers FC. Conceded by Daniel Amartey.
-
Substitution, Randers FC. Mads Enggård replaces Vito Hammershøy-Mistrati.
-
Hand ball by Ademola Lookman (Leicester City).
-
Offside, Leicester City. Marc Albrighton tries a through ball, but Kelechi Iheanacho is caught offside.
-
Substitution, Leicester City. Boubakary Soumaré replaces Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
-
Substitution, Leicester City. Ayoze Pérez replaces Harvey Barnes.
-
Substitution, Leicester City. Hamza Choudhury replaces James Maddison because of an injury.
-
Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Lasse Johnsen (Randers FC).
-
Substitution, Randers FC. Tobias Klysner replaces Tosin Kehinde.
-
Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from very close range is too high.
-
Attempt saved. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Harvey Barnes.
-
Goal! Leicester City 4, Randers FC 1. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ademola Lookman.
-
Attempt missed. Vito Hammershøy-Mistrati (Randers FC) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Simon Piesinger with a headed pass.
-
Offside, Leicester City. James Maddison tries a through ball, but Jannik Vestergaard is caught offside.
