Match ends, Reading 1, Leicester City 1.
Reading 1-1 Leicester City
- From the section Football
Danny Drinkwater's equaliser earned Leicester a point as Reading moved into the play-off places on goal difference.
Defender Alex Pearce headed the Royals in front from Jordan Obita's free-kick after 15 minutes.
But Drinkwater drove in an equaliser from 20 yards to pull Leicester, already promoted to the Premier League, level after half an hour.
After half-time, Pavel Pogrebnyak's header hit the post for the hosts, who had Mikele Leigertwood sent off.
The Foxes are now seven points clear of second-placed Burnley with four matches remaining, while Reading, winless in seven at home and with one win in five, are level on 64 points with Brighton and Ipswich below them.
They took a step towards ending their miserable home form when Pearce rose above Wes Morgan to score with a powerful header from Obita's ball in from the right.
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Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel pulled off a fine save from Jobi McAnuff's close-range effort following a cross from the impressive Garath McCleary and Dean Hammond was fortunate not to concede a penalty for handball.
But as Reading failed to clear a corner, Hammond laid off for Drinkwater to hit a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
Schmeichel did well once again when he pushed away an effort from McCleary after the Royals winger had got in behind Morgan.
After the break Pogrebnyak's header came back off the woodwork from McCleary's ball from the right.
Leicester's Morgan also went close with a header from a deep cross from Riyad Mahrez before substitute Leigertwood was shown a second yellow card for a lunge at Mahrez with four minutes left.
Reading manager Nigel Adkins:
"It's a very important point that puts us back in the play-offs with four games to go.
"It will be nail-biting and it's going to go all the way. We're in there battling and we still have a chance.
"It was a clear penalty [for Hammond's handball] that the referee's not given. But we've played a team who will be worthy champions and who are going to be in the Premier League next season. We wanted passion and hunger and we got that."
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson:
"We were a bit sloppy mentally but I have to balance looking at a performance like that at this stage of the season.
"The players are still putting the effort in. We had chances to win it but with the problems Reading caused us in the first half it would be miserly for me to be too greedy.
"We had to work hard for a point but it's a point in the right direction. The players will deserve the title if they get it."
Line-ups
Reading
- 21McCarthy
- 2Gunter
- 18Bridge
- 35Hector
- 15Morrison
- 5Pearce
- 23WilliamsSubstituted forLeigertwoodat 61'minutesBooked at 86mins
- 37ObitaSubstituted forRobson-Kanuat 74'minutes
- 7Pogrebnyak
- 12McClearySubstituted forDrentheat 84'minutes
- 11McAnuff
Substitutes
- 1Federici
- 3Kelly
- 8Leigertwood
- 9Le Fondre
- 10Drenthe
- 17Gorkss
- 19Robson-Kanu
Leicester
- 1Schmeichel
- 2de LaetBooked at 68mins
- 15Schlupp
- 7HammondSubstituted forKingat 73'minutes
- 27Wasilewski
- 5Morgan
- 26Mahrez
- 4Drinkwater
- 9VardySubstituted forWoodat 65'minutes
- 35NugentSubstituted forTaylor-Fletcherat 80'minutes
- 11Dyer
Substitutes
- 3Konchesky
- 10King
- 18Moore
- 22Taylor-Fletcher
- 24Knockaert
- 25Logan
- 39Wood
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 20,072
Match Stats
Home TeamReadingAway TeamLeicester
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away5
- Corners
- Home7
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away15
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Reading 1, Leicester City 1.
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Wes Morgan.
Hand ball by Lloyd Dyer (Leicester City).
Attempt missed. Daniel Drinkwater (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Attempt blocked. Chris Wood (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andy King.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Mikele Leigertwood (Reading) for a bad foul.
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Mikele Leigertwood (Reading).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Royston Drenthe replaces Garath McCleary.
Delay in match Garath McCleary (Reading) because of an injury.
Offside, Leicester City. Andy King tries a through ball, but Chris Wood is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Gary Taylor-Fletcher replaces David Nugent.
Andy King (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jobi McAnuff (Reading).
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Alex Pearce.
Substitution
Substitution, Reading. Hal Robson-Kanu replaces Jordan Obita.
Booking
Mikele Leigertwood (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Mikele Leigertwood (Reading).
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Andy King replaces Dean Hammond.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Sean Morrison.
Attempt blocked. Dean Hammond (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Chris Wood.
Attempt blocked. Jordan Obita (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Mikele Leigertwood.
Attempt blocked. Mikele Leigertwood (Reading) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Pearce with a headed pass.
Booking
Ritchie de Laet (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Hand ball by Ritchie de Laet (Leicester City).
Foul by Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City).
Jordan Obita (Reading) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Wes Morgan (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross.
David Nugent (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mikele Leigertwood (Reading).
Attempt missed. Sean Morrison (Reading) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jobi McAnuff with a cross following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Chris Wood replaces Jamie Vardy.
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Dean Hammond.
Attempt blocked. Jordan Obita (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Garath McCleary.
Foul by Ritchie de Laet (Leicester City).
Jordan Obita (Reading) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Marcin Wasilewski (Leicester City).
