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Jamie Vardy's second-half penalty rescues a point for Leicester against impressive Huddersfield

Huddersfield 1 Leicester City 1: Vardy smashed home a late penalty to win Leicester a point, although Huddersfield remain unbeaten at home in the league this season

Mark Walker
John Smith's Stadium
Saturday 16 September 2017 17:11 BST
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Vardy drilled home a late penalty to save a point
Vardy drilled home a late penalty to save a point

Laurent Depoitre scored on his full Premier League debut as Huddersfield and Leicester fought out a 1-1 draw at the John Smith's Stadium.

Depoitre, a £3.5million summer signing from Porto, broke the deadlock 40 seconds into the second half before Jamie Vardy fired the Foxes level four minutes later from the penalty spot.

Huddersfield will feel mightily aggrieved Elias Kachunga's second-half header was ruled out for offside, or else they might have bounced back from their first defeat of the season at West Ham last Monday with all three points.

But Leicester were not without chances themselves. Vardy contrived to let Riyad Mahrez's second-half cross to the far post slide by him and both sides deserved their point, particularly after it came alive in the second half.

Vardy missed a fine chance to win the game late on

Depoitre, handed his first league start in place of the injured Steve Mounie, headed Tom Ince's cross straight at Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as Huddersfield started full of purpose.

Midfielder Danny Williams curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area over the crossbar soon after and the home side continued to make all the early running.

Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho was afforded the visitors' only chance in the opening half an hour, but his shot was blocked by Huddersfield midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri, making his first start for the club.

Iheanacho, also making his full debut for the Foxes after his £25million move from Manchester City in August, chose to switch the ball on to his right foot instead of shooting first time and a gilt-edged chance was gone.

Depoitre broke the deadlock on his debut (Getty)

Vardy was given his first sight of goal just before the break when hooking a Wes Morgan flick-on off target as the first half ended goalless.

The game sparked into life after the restart. Kachunga picked out Depoitre in the 46th minute and the big Belgian shrugged off Harry Maguire to fire a low shot from the right edge of the area into the bottom corner.

But Town's lead was short-lived. Left-back Chris Lowe was adjudged to have brought down Andy King and Vardy slammed his spot-kick straight down the middle to make it 1-1 in the 50th minute.

Vardy celebrates after scoring Leicester's equaliser

Town fans thought their side had regained the lead in the 61st minute, but Kachunga was deemed offside when he headed home Mathias Jorgensen's cross.

Television replays confirmed Kachunga was onside, while Leicester went close to taking the lead when Mahrez's cross somehow evaded Vardy at the far post.

Ince curled a shot narrowly wide in the 77th minute after being teed up by Aaron Mooy, whose tireless promptings were once again at the heart of all Town's positive play.

Leicester felt they might have been awarded a penalty in the last minute when substitute Demarai Gray went down in the area under Jorgensen's challenge, but referee Jon Moss was unmoved.

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