Captain Luke Ayling headed a dramatic equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time as ten-man Middlesbrough snatched a 1-1 draw at Leicester City in the Championship. Jordan Ayew's controversial penalty deep into first-half added time had put the Foxes on course for a much-needed win before Ayling met Callum Brittain's deep cross to stun the King Power Stadium.
The result capped a breathless finale in which Middlesbrough defender Alfie Jones had been sent off for a professional foul on Stephy Mavididi, seemingly tilting the contest decisively Leicester's way. Instead, Boro's resilience ensured they avoided what looked like becoming consecutive league defeats, even though the draw still saw them slip out of the top two, a point behind second-placed Stoke City. For Leicester, it ended a run of three straight losses, but with just one victory in ten league games and boos greeting the final whistle, Marti Cifuentes' side remain stuck in the bottom half.
Leicester Threaten from Set-Pieces but Lack Killer Touch
Under pressure after a poor home defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, Cifuentes made four changes to his starting XI in search of a spark. Middlesbrough initially controlled possession and tempo, as Rob Edwards had demanded, but the first clear opportunities fell to Leicester, and they came from the dead ball. Abdul Fatawu ghosted in at the back post to meet an early cross, only to glance his header wide when well placed.