LONDON – Leicester City’s players upturned the established order in England last season. Now, they’re doing the same in Europe.
The fairy tale goes on for the once-unheralded central English club after beating double European champion Porto 1-0 on Tuesday for a second straight win in its first-ever Champions League campaign.
Islam Slimani lived up to his nickname, ‘Dragon Slayer’, as gritty Leicester took control of Group G with a deserved 1-0 win over Porto.
No other team has six points at this stage in the Champions League — not even defending champion Real Madrid, which scored early through Cristiano Ronaldo before conceding late to draw 2-2 at Borussia Dortmund.
Leicester was bottom of the Premier League this time two years ago, so not even its most ardent fan could have predicted this rise.
It came as no surprise that Slimani was Porto’s tormentor.
The Algeria striker had scored five goals in three games for former side Sporting against Porto already in 2016, earning him a nickname of the “Dragon Slayer” in reference to Porto’s moniker — the Dragons.
Leicester used the same tactics against Porto as it did in the team’s improbable charge to the Premier League title: Defend stoutly and in numbers, and hit opponents on the counter-attack.
The approach worked perfectly, although Porto almost snatched an equalizer when Jesus Corona struck a volley against the post late on.
In the other match in Group G, FC Copenhagen beat Club Brugge 4-0 at home to follow up its opening-round draw against Porto.
The Foxes continued in a degree of comfort though and Mahrez had Iker Casillas scrambling to save his low 59th-minute effort.
Schmeichel had been given an easy ride by listless Porto but needed to be alert with 18 minutes left to gather Diogo Jota’s shot after it hit Morgan.
It sparked Porto to life and Schmeichel palmed Hector Herrera’s half-volley wide before surviving a huge scare with eight minutes left.
The Denmark international came for, and missed, a cross and the ball fell for Corona who lashed a 15-yard volley against the post but Leicester survived.