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When the final whistle blew, Danny Rohl came onto the field and punched the air like crazy. With good reason.
His Sheffield Wednesday team, who have won just once this season and remain in bottom place, had just dramatically denied Championship leaders Leicester maximum points.
After Owls substitute Jeff Hendrick fired into the Kop goal from close range in the third minute of added time, sparking wild scenes, it almost felt like a victory.
Bonhomie was everywhere in a club that looked too bad to stay on its feet for much of this season.
Tonight they showed the kind of desire and resilience that provided a ray of hope in their battle against the fall.
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Leicester manager Enzo Maresca made six changes but his team, which took the lead thanks to Abdul Fatawu’s opening goal in the 23rd minute, could not put an end to the match.
The Owls fought bravely and were finally rewarded when Hendrick attacked, leaving Rohl delighted.
The German, who succeeded the sacked Xisco Muñoz last month, said: “It was a huge point for us and we deserved it.
“Leicester has a lot of quality, they are a Premier League team, but we keep fighting and I am proud of my players. I believe in them and in the club.
“This didn’t look like a bottom team playing against the top team.”
Fox’s colleague Maresca reflected: “Championship games are never over and sometimes you can concede something late.
“We certainly could have done some things better, but we are still at the top. “It’s a long race.”
Rohl has a resume that includes stints as assistant manager at Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Southampton and the German national team.
The enthusiasm with which the home fans sang their anthem ‘Hi Ho Sheffield Wednesday’ before kick-off served as a reminder of the potential of this fallen giant.
That energy carried over to the field and, surprisingly, on Wednesday he should have led in the first 20 seconds.
Captain Barry Bannan caught Ricardo in possession on the edge of the Foxes’ 18-yard box before advancing towards goal.
Time almost seemed to stand still and Hillsborough held his breath as the mercurial midfielder steadied himself before firing a low left-footed shot wide of Mads Hermansen’s far post.
It was a wasted golden opportunity and Bannan put his hands on his head, but the Scot was instrumental in another big chance for the home side in the fifth minute.
They won possession and found Callum Paterson, whose shot was blocked, but on a bitterly cold night, Leicester gradually got used to their task.
They started probing and it was no surprise when they broke the deadlock in the 18th minute.
Mavididi crossed dangerously from the left flank and the ball fell to the unmarked Fatawu at the far post.
He had time and space to control the ball and fire a low left-footed shot past Cameron Dawson.
It was another knife in the side of a team struggling to regain confidence, but on Wednesday, it gave 18-year-old striker Bailey Cadamarteri his first league start.
The son of former Everton striker Danny Cadamarteri, who memorably scored in a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 1997 as a teenager, caused problems for Leicester.
He came close to connecting with a low cross in the 27th minute and then, as the interval approached, unleashed a fierce right-footed shot that drew a vital block from a Foxes defender.
Chances became scarce after the break as Leicester held on comfortably, with Wednesday’s captain and boyhood supporter Jamie Vardy a persistent threat up front.
The Foxes should have made the game safe in the closing stages but substitute Kasey McAteer could only poke the ball in from the edge of the six-yard box.
And they were soon punished when Hendrick scored to level the scores, but there was still time for Leicester to take the points, but Jannik Vestergaard’s header was superbly denied by Dawson.