Faes seals late win for Leicester

Leicester City beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 with a stoppage-time header from Wout Faes, amid fan protests over ownership and financial pressures surrounding both clubs.

Faes seals late win at home amid protests

Leicester City edged a tense opener under Martí Cifuentes as Wout Faes headed a late winner to overturn a first-half goal from Sheffield Wednesday at King Power Stadium. Wednesday took the lead through Nathaniel Chalobah after a Yan Valery cross was deflected into the net by Oliver Skipp, drawing cheers from an away end that had sat largely empty during a protest against owner Dejphon Chansiri. The mood outside the ground reflected broader tensions around the ownership and the club’s financial situation, with banners reading SWFC for sale and questions about the long-term stability of the squad.
Leicester fought back after half-time, aided by the arrival of Harry Winks in midfield as Bilal El Khannouss created the equaliser with a low free-kick that Jannik Vestergaard converted. Faes then met the corner to clinch the win, as Wednesday’s resilience faded after captain Barry Bannan received a second yellow card. The win leaves Leicester facing a difficult path back to the Premier League while Wednesday continue to navigate a transfer embargo and wage arrears that had anxious moments around the club in the build-up to the season.

Cifuentes faces a dual test of sport and stewardship. On the pitch his team showed a fighter’s resolve, yet their off-field constraints—reduced spending, potential points deduction, and key departures—cast a long shadow over the campaign’s upside. The early signs suggest Leicester must rely on youth and adaptable tactics rather than big-name signings as they rebuild.
Wednesday, meanwhile, play with heart but are hamstrung by financial limits that complicate the manager’s job and the players’ sense of security. The disruption around ownership adds a political dimension to a competition where every result is magnified and every setback can feed into a broader narrative about who owns the club and who pays the price for on-pitch struggles.

Highlights

The season will test how clubs balance sport, finance and identity in a league where every goal matters and every gesture counts.