Leicester City Come From Behind? No, They Stayed Ahead: Foxes Win 4-2 at Oxford City in FA Cup
Leicester City beat Oxford City 4-2 in the FA Cup first round on Friday night, and that result is enough to take them into the second round.
The tie was played at the MGroup Stadium in Oxford on Friday 6 November, with kick-off at 7.45pm GMT. It was the first round of the Emirates FA Cup, the oldest knockout competition in football, which opens the door for clubs from every level of the English pyramid. Leicester are a League One side, the third tier of the English league system, according to the BBC. Oxford City play in the National League North, which sits at the sixth tier. That gap of three levels is why the match was tipped as a classic giant-killing chance, even if Leicester were the clear favourites on paper.
Oxford City were not new to this stage. They were playing in the first round for the eighth time this century, according to The FA's own statistics. The tie was also picked for live television, shown on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max from 7pm, so plenty of people watched it from their sofa rather than the terraces.
The home club's account of the night was blunt. Oxford City's official website published its match report under the headline "Match Report | Oxford City 2-4 Leicester City". The club also said the crowd of 3,462 at the MGroup Stadium was a record for the ground, a figure that matters to a club of this size because gate money and atmosphere both count in the non-league world.
For Leicester, the win means another round in a competition that has produced some of the most famous moments in English football. For Oxford City, it means a tough night, but also a memory for supporters who turned out in record numbers. Non-league clubs often say the Cup is the one afternoon when the whole town takes notice, and this was one of those nights.
The FA Cup first round is a lottery of sorts. A sixth-tier club at home to a League One side will always carry the hope of an upset, and the hosts did not give up. Oxford City scored twice, and their supporters had a crowd of record size to back them. Leicester, though, scored four times and went through.
Next comes the draw for the second round, where the winners will be paired with another club still in the competition. Leicester will be waiting to see who they face. Oxford City go back to league football with a night they will remember.
