FA Cup 2023 -2 Blackburn: Tyrhys Dolan and Sammie Szmodics score to send Rovers into last eight

Championship high-fliers Blackburn Rovers introduced on an FA Cup fifth spherical upset by supreme Premier League Leicester Metropolis.

Rovers, fourth within the desk and aiming for a return to the top flight the build they haven’t conducted for bigger than a decade, were bigger than a match for 2021 cup winners Leicester.

Their dynamic expose, in which they need to absorb scored extra targets, gave them a web site within the last eight for the first time in eight years.

Having been denied by Daniel Iversen’s flying build, Tyrhys Dolan curled past Leicester’s Danish goalkeeper for the opener.

Ryan Hedges then disregarded a gilt-edged opportunity to double the visiting facet’s lead firstly up of the 2d length when he failed to hit the aim from 10 yards out.

It didn’t indicate pricey as Sammie Szmodics wriggled definite to convert Rovers’ 2d within the 52nd minute, whereas the midfielder also had a honest ruled out for offside.

Replace Kelechi Iheanacho pulled one reduction for the Foxes by slotting in from discontinuance vary, but a insensible and dreary night resulted in disappointment for Brendan Rodgers’ males.

• Response from Tuesday’s FA Cup fifth spherical dash
• ‘I discuss over with Jez’s grave a week’ – Blackburn’s Dolan

Dynamic Rovers retain escape

This turned into as soon as the first meeting between the 2 facets since they conducted within the Championship 9 years ago, when the Foxes done top of the desk with a tally of 102 points.

They timid the footballing world by winning the Premier League appropriate two seasons later, as properly as winning the FA Cup finest two years ago, but Leicester are a gigantic distance some distance off from those heady heights.

Exiting this competitors scheme they’ll now listen to issues within the league, with the Foxes four locations and three points above the drop zone and pondering the unthinkable of relegation.

The hosts basically started brightly, but early disregarded opportunities proved fatal. Rovers keeper Aynsley Pears denied Tete’s strike and Dennis Praet’s enlighten-up, sooner than he then saved out Jamie Vardy’s shot from the attitude.

Nonetheless as soon as Blackburn went ahead courtesy of Dolan’s strike from starting up air the scheme within the thirty third minute, they showcased a expose fleshy of power and verve.

They deservedly added a 2d when the sprightly Szmodics purchased the jump of the ball and barged his well past the Leicester backline sooner than coolly rolling in his invent.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s males must had been out of watch, but Leicester’s stand-in keeper Iversen unfold himself to reduction out a low pressure from Szmodics, who twice curled huge.

Iheanacho’s 67th-minute honest produced a nervy invent and the home facet nearly took the sport to extra time.

Nampalys Mendy fired inches huge, whereas Daniel Amartey’s slack header hit the starting up air of the post.

Blackburn held out for the six minutes of stoppage time, leaving their supporters singing they are “going to Wembley” after a first salvage at Leicester since 1991 – a escape of 10 games.

In addition to conserving their Wembley dream alive, Rovers will watch to retain their kind within the Championship, as they stretched their gorgeous most unique escape to one defeat of their last 13 beneath Tomasson.

Tielemans out for up to six weeks

In a single other blow for the Foxes, Rodgers confirmed midfielder Youri Tielemans will be sidelined for up to six weeks with an ankle damage.

The 25-year-mature turned into as soon as grief after approaching as any other during Saturday’s defeat by Arsenal.

“Youri will be out for six weeks – six weeks will feel admire six months within the occasion you lose a player of that quality,” Rodgers acknowledged after the Blackburn loss.

“Sadly he is done the ligaments in his ankle. He would possibly per chance perchance also not be reduction sooner than the international damage.”