Thursday 24 February 2011

Tunchev returns as reserves thrash Quakes

A Leicester City reserve side beat the travelling San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 in a behind closed-doors friendly at the Foxes Belvoir Drive training ground.

The Quakes, on a tour of England prior to the start of their new Major League Soccer season in the United States, have already beaten sides from Birmingham City and Colchester United this winter but were no match for a strong Leicester outfit that featured the likes of Bruno Berner and Miguel Vitor alongside the returning Aleksandar Tunchev.

Return: Tunchev played an hour for the Foxes reserves

Tunchev, playing his first fixture in nearly a year and a half after a knee problem saw him prevented from playing for the first team, put in a solid hour before he was replaced by Robbie Paratore. And whilst he emerged from his sixty-five minutes unscathed, Foxes first team coach Didi Hamann remains cautious:

"He did ever so well. He played about 65 minutes and played a very good game. He probably won't train for a day or two now, but that's all part of the process. It's important he plays games now, but we've got to take it day by day with him."

The Foxes opened the scoring through Elliott Chamberlain before Nathan Hicks put the hosts in control. The MLS side fought back after a defensive mix-up allowed Chris Wondolowski to get the better of Vitor but the Foxes regained their two-goal advantage as Daniel Uchechi fired home from the penalty spot. The Quakes rallied late-on as Leicester keeper Robert Ambrusics saved a penalty but at no point did the Americans threaten the Foxes reserve side taking a comfortable victory. 

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