Leicester City suffered the worst possible start to their title defence as in-crisis club Hull City claimed a shock 2-1 win in the opening game of the new Premier League season.
The manager-less Tigers have struggled in the build-up to the campaign and with only 13 fit first-team players to call upon, few expected the relegation favourites to claim a result against the reigning champions.
But Claudio Ranieri’s men were disorganised in all areas of the pitch and looked far from the form which saw them storm to the title ten points clear last term.
Both of Hull’s goals came as a result of jittery defending from the Foxes, with a combination of Adama Diomande and Abel Hernandez, who appeared to strike the ball at the same time with mirror-image overhead kicks, leading to the Tigers’ opening goal.
Diomande was awarded the goal, but Leicester were soon level through a soft penalty at the start of the second-half, which Riyad Mahrez coolly converted.
Having levelled, Leicester began to discover some rhythm in their play, but they were again punished for their lack of sharpness as Robert Snodgrass put Hull in the lead again.
A dangerous Ahmed Elmohamady cross was poorly cleared by Danny Simpson, with the ball falling to Snodgrass on the edge of the box as he calmly fired past a rooted Kasper Schmeichel and into the bottom-right corner.
Mahrez came close to another equaliser late into the second half, which his curling effort producing a wonderful diving save from Hull gloveman Eldin Jakupovic.
But Hull continued to keep the champions largely at bay until the final whistle, as Leicester become the first English champions in 27 years to begin their title defence with defeat.
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Source: Talksport