Oxford United Stun Leicester City In Dramatic Away Win

The King Power Stadium witnessed a shockwave on January 24, 2026, as Oxford United stunned Leicester City with a 2-1 victory in a Championship clash that could have far-reaching implications for both teams. With both sides desperate for points—Leicester City aiming to close the gap to the playoff places and Oxford United fighting to escape the relegation zone—the match delivered drama, tactical intrigue, and a result that left home supporters reeling.

Before a ball was kicked, the Leicester faithful were already buzzing with anticipation and a fair bit of nervousness. Manager Marti Cifuentes had sprung a surprise in his starting lineup, handing 17-year-old Louis Page just his second league start of the season. Page’s inclusion was forced by a spate of midfield absences—star loanee Jordan James was sidelined with a hamstring injury, sustained in the previous match against Wrexham, while Oliver Skipp remained unavailable, undergoing concussion protocol and battling illness. As the team sheet was revealed, the Foxes lined up with Jakub Stolarczyk in goal; a back four of Ben Nelson, Caleb Okoli, Jannik Vestergaard, and Ricardo Pereira; a midfield pairing of Hamza Choudhury and the young Page; and a forward line featuring Stephy Mavididi, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Abdul Fatawu, and the experienced Jordan Ayew leading the attack.

For Oxford United, the stakes were even higher. Sitting 23rd in the league and without a win in four games, the U’s arrived in Leicester under the stewardship of new head coach Matt Bloomfield. The visitors were hungry, aggressive, and clearly determined to make their mark from the opening whistle. And did they ever! Inside just four minutes, Oxford United seized the initiative. A long throw from Ciaron Brown was flicked on at the near post, and Sam Long was on hand to sidefoot home from close range, sending the away fans into raptures and leaving the home crowd in stunned silence.

Leicester City, for all their possession and territorial dominance, struggled to muster a meaningful response in the first half. Their best chance came from the lively Fatawu and Mavididi, whose pace and trickery on the flanks stretched Oxford’s disciplined backline but failed to yield a breakthrough. Jordan Ayew managed the hosts’ only shot on target before the break, but Oxford’s defensive organization and muscular approach stifled the Foxes at every turn. As halftime approached, frustration began to seep into the stands, with murmurs of discontent growing louder as the home side’s lack of attacking creativity became painfully apparent.

Meanwhile, Oxford United were not content to simply sit back and absorb pressure. They thought they had doubled their lead before the interval, only for a goal to be controversially ruled out for pushing at a corner. Bloomfield later remarked, "We had a goal disallowed that shouldn't have been disallowed. I told the referee it was a mistake but at least we can discuss it on the back of a win." The visitors’ aggression and spiky attitude set the tone for a combative contest, and by halftime, they were good value for their 1-0 lead.

After the break, Leicester City tried to raise their intensity. The home side pressed higher, pushed more bodies forward, and looked to impose their rhythm. Yet, their attacking play remained flat, and clear chances were few and far between. As the minutes ticked by, the anxiety inside King Power Stadium only intensified. Oxford, for their part, continued to threaten on the counter. Stanley Mills saw a fierce strike deflected over the bar, and Myles Peart-Harris dragged a shot wide, signaling that the U’s were still very much in the hunt for a crucial second goal.

That breakthrough arrived in the 72nd minute. With Leicester overcommitted at a corner, Oxford launched a textbook counter-attack. Mark Harris latched onto a through ball, raced clear of the scrambling defense, rounded Stolarczyk, and calmly slotted home to double the visitors’ advantage. The away end erupted, and a sense of disbelief swept over the home supporters. As reported by VAVEL, "Harris scores and Oxford United net a second to all but seal the match at the King Power Stadium. The visitors strike at a crucial moment, extend their lead and silence the crowd, reinforcing their tactical approach."

To their credit, Leicester City did not fold. As the clock wound down, they threw everything forward in search of a lifeline. Their efforts were finally rewarded in the 85th minute, when Abdul Fatawu pounced on a half-cleared corner and fired home a measured finish to reduce the deficit. The goal breathed new life into the contest and set up a frantic finale, with the referee adding five minutes of stoppage time. The Foxes pushed with urgency, but Oxford’s rearguard held firm, repelling wave after wave of attacks. The final whistle sparked a brief melee between players, a fittingly heated end to a match played in freezing conditions.

After the dust settled, the managers offered contrasting assessments. Leicester boss Marti Cifuentes was candid in his post-match interview with BBC Radio Leicester: "It doesn't matter what the score is, I want the fans to go home proud. I know they probably didn't feel that way. The Championship is a tough league. We need to regroup and understand the picture and move in the right direction. We need to create more. The expectation from ourselves is that we want to win every game. I understand it's frustrating. We struggled after going 1-0 down we did not move the ball quickly enough. We need to look at ourselves. There are many things we need to do much better."

On the other side, Matt Bloomfield was full of praise for his Oxford United squad: "The boys were, to a man - the starters and finishers - excellent. I am so proud of them. They carried out the info we gave them to a tee. We showed heart, guts and determination and no lack of quality... The players have to take all the praise. They were absolutely top-drawer. But this is just the stepping stone. We have done nothing yet. We need to make sure we come out of the transfer window to attack the last part of the season."

For Oxford United, this was just their sixth league win of the campaign, but it could prove to be a turning point as they strive to climb out of the relegation zone. The victory moves them tantalizingly close to safety and injects much-needed confidence into a squad that has struggled for consistency. For Leicester City, the defeat leaves them six points adrift of the playoff places and searching for answers as their up-and-down season continues.

As the Championship season rumbles on, both teams will look to build on the lessons of this dramatic afternoon. For Oxford, the hope is that this win sparks a great escape. For Leicester, a period of soul-searching and improvement is surely on the cards. The only certainty? The race for promotion and survival in the Championship is far from over.