Kasper Schmeichel was the hero for Leicester as the Foxes defeated Everton on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup for the first time in 19 years.
In scenes reminiscent of Everton’s Premier League victory over Chelsea, interim manager Duncan Ferguson hoisted a ball boy above his head in celebration after Leighton Baines drilled in a stunning 90th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 at the end of normal time.
Jordan Pickford’s stunning save from Maddison in the first action of the shoot-out had Everton fans dreaming of a perfect comeback but Schmeichel denied Cenk Tosun and, cruelly, Baines to put Leicester on the front foot.
It was left to Jamie Vardy to confidently convert the decisive spot-kick, giving Leicester a 4-2 victory in the shoot-out and maintaining manager Brendan Rodgers’ remarkable record of not having lost a domestic cup competition since April 2015.
Writing in the programme, the Scot said: “The past two games have taught us we can go toe to toe with anyone – but we’ve also learned more about what it takes to fight with these top teams. You need to be brave. Take a backwards step and you’re like sitting ducks, waiting to be picked off.”
Everton were given a warning in the 16th minute when Ricardo Pereira’s pull-back was dummied by Jamie Vardy for Ayoze Perez to shoot over the bar.
Ten minutes later Maddison made no such mistake, using the time he was given to control Ricardo’s pass and curl a delicious finish into the far corner with the outside of his right boot.
Three minutes later Evans had the freedom of the six-yard box to tap in Vardy’s flick-on from Maddison’s corner.
Leicester were simply quicker and sharper, but Everton’s fans had not given up hope and the team responded with their best spell of the half.
Yerry Mina’s header from Bernard’s free-kick was gratefully held by Schmeichel before Richarlison shot across goal but wide.
Everton would have been three down with less than an hour gone but for a good save by Jordan Pickford, who rose athletically to push Perez’s venomous strike over the bar.
Kean’s first contribution was a well-struck shot deflected behind by Ben Chilwell and, from the resulting corner, Mina should have pulled one back but got his header in front of goal all wrong.
But hope arrived for the hosts in the 70th minute courtesy of Davies, who met Richarlison’s cross on the volley with enough force to beat Schmeichel despite the keeper getting a hand on it.
Kean then gave a glimpse of why Everton paid more than £20million for him, turning and crossing for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but he could not keep his header down.
