Jamie Vardy PUNCHES HIMSELF in the face in frustration after missing a sitter in Leicester’s game with Watford… before the striker redeems himself with late double
- Vardy fired over the bar from six yards out as Leicester looked for an opener
- The 36-year-old striker responded by hitting himself in the face, but later scored twice
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Even at the age of 36, Jamie Vardy still gets the same thrill from scoring a goal as he does at any other stage of his prolific career.
So if the Leicester City frontman misses a sitter, it cannot go unpunished.
When Vardy squandered a golden opportunity during Saturday’s championship match against Watford, he first reacted by falling to the ground in frustration and then hitting himself in the face.
As he walked away after failing to convert a Stephy Mavididi cross that was perfectly in front of him just six yards away, Vardy waved his gloved fist and appeared to hit himself straight in the eye.
However, his unorthodox self-punishment seemed to provide the solution as the former England striker later scored twice to give Enzo Maresca’s side a 2-0 victory at the King Power Stadium.
Jamie Vardy reacted to missing a sitter by punching himself in the face during Leicester City’s Championship match with Watford on Saturday
After punishing himself, Vardy later redeemed himself by scoring twice in the 2-0 win
The second of his goals came from the penalty spot after Daniel Bachmann clipped it
It was the perfect response for the Foxes, who lost back-to-back games against Leeds United and Middlesbrough ahead of the internationals.
It also left the promotion favorites three points clear at the top after second-placed Ipswich Town fell 2-0 to West Bromwich Albion later in the day.
To make the weekend even better for Leicester, third-placed Leeds United are now ten points behind after only drawing 1-1 against lowly Rotherham United on Friday evening.
Vardy’s uncharacteristic miss came with 17 minutes remaining, but on 76 minutes he poked home Leicester’s opener from a similar position after Jannik Vestergaard’s header was pushed straight away to him by Hornets keeper Daniel Bachmann.
Vardy then won Leicester a penalty deep into stoppage time when Bachmann clipped him and was given his marching orders.
With defender Ryan Porteous forced to don the gloves, Vardy scored his seventh goal of the season from twelve yards.
Maresca said afterwards: ‘When I saw Jamie miss twice I thought it wouldn’t happen, but Jamie has scored goals all his life and he will continue to do so.
‘This is why he is Jamie Vardy. He has scored more than 100 goals in the Premier League and he has always scored goals in his life.
Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring the opener in the 2-0 win over Watford at King Power
Foxes boss Enzo Maresca said he never doubted Vardy would eventually take a chance
‘You have to be there. You miss an opportunity and then he was back. That was the most important thing. He missed an opportunity and was in the right position.
‘If you are in the right place in the penalty area you can miss and eventually you will find the goal.’