Leicester City vs. Porto: Score and Reaction from 2016 Champions League Match

Leicester City won their first Champions League match in club history two weeks ago. On Tuesday, they added their first Champions League home victory, edging past FC Porto 1-0 at King Power Stadium. 

That made them the first English club to win their opening two UCL games, per OptaJose.

Islam Slimani, the aptly nicknamed "Dragon Slayer" for his superb goalscoring record against Porto during his Sporting days, scored the game's lone goal. 

It was a big win for a Leicester side that has managed just seven points in six Premier League matches this season after winning the title last year in surprising fashion, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News noted:

It wasn't the most convincing victory, as the stats would show, but the Foxes will take the three points. WhoScored.com shared the game's final numbers:

Slimani gave Leicester the lead in the 25th minute, though it was his Algerian counterpart Riyad Mahrez who did the heavy lifting.

Mahrez found himself with the ball down the right flank and positioned himself on his left foot before whipping a beautiful cross toward Jamie Vardy. The ball just sailed over the England international, but Slimani's brilliant secondary run beat his defender and left him in position to head home the game's opening tally. 

It perhaps shouldn't come as a surprise that the attacker struck against Porto, as Michael Yokhin of ESPN FC noted:

Dragon Slayer, indeed.

And it's little wonder the assist came from Mahrez, who has saved his best for the Champions League this season, per John Bennett of the BBC:

After Mahrez scored two goals in Leicester's group-stage opener against Club Brugge in a 3-0 win, manager Claudio Ranieri said of the winger, "The Champions League music woke [him] up," per BBC Sport. It appeared to do the trick a second time on Tuesday.

Still, minus the goal, it was a relatively even game in the first 45 minutes, and there was little reason to believe Porto couldn't find an equaliser in the second half. Leicester, meanwhile, seemed pleased to keep the defensive pressure high and hit on the counter-attack once they won the ball back.

Indeed, it was Leicester who had the second half's first golden opportunity. Mahrez again worked the ball on his left foot, this time at the edge of the box. He sent in a low shot that appeared destined to sneak just inside the right post, only for a diving Iker Casillas to push it aside. 

Hector Herrera, who made a big impact after being brought on in the 63rd minute, had a nice chance for Porto in the 75th minute, ripping a low shot toward the left post, but Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was up to the task, parrying the attempt to safety.

Porto kept pressing, however, and another second-half substitute, Jesus Corona, struck the post in the 83rd minute. A poor clearance from Leicester landed at Corona's feet on the right side of the box, and his screaming effort deflected off Marc Albrighton and then the post.

The waning moments were nervy ones for Leicester, but last year's Premier League champions managed to hold on for the victory.

Leicester will next face Copenhagen in UCL play on Oct. 18, while Porto take on Club Brugge on the same day. 

Post-Match Reaction

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Ranieri seemed pleased with his team if reserved in his praise for them after the match, per Leicester's Twitter account:

"We knew it would be tough and we'd have to work hard to get the points," Mahrez added. "We're really happy with it."

And Wes Morgan praised the team as a whole and Slimani in particular:

Certainly, Leicester are now in great shape atop Group G with six points, though Copenhagen have played well and will represent a challenge in their next contest.

Porto, meanwhile, will still be tipped to advance to the knockout phase, though they now find themselves five points behind Leicester and three below Copenhagen. They should be able to beat Club Brugge, but a loss in two weeks will leave the Portuguese squad in a bit of a hole. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.