West Brom 1-1 Leicester City: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Foxes net last-minute equaliser at The Hawthorns

West Bromwich Albion were denied a hard-fought Hawthorns victory by a last-minute own goal in a 1-1 Championship draw with Leicester City in the Black Country.

Following back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, the Baggies provided an almost-instant response as Samuel Iling-Junior scored his first Albion goal on the 10-minute mark.

Ryan Mason's men were pegged back by Marti Cifuentes's side for a large proportion of the game, and that pressure told late on when Nathaniel Phillips deflected the ball into his own net.

Leicester dictated the tempo of The Hawthorns contest in the first half, but the finishing touch in attack was crucially missing, with Albion countering and hitting the front after 10 minutes, when Iling-Junior danced through the Foxes' defence and slotted home on his full debut for the Baggies.

The second-half introductions of Julian Carranza and teenage sensation Jeremy Monga turned up the pressure on West Brom, who had chances of their own to double the advantage but crucially failed to do so, opening the door for added-time madness in the favour of the Foxes.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Carter White live from The Hawthorns

Leicester boss Cifuentes spoke in length pre-game about how his men are beginning to showcase the signs of a team working well under his tutelage, with neat passages of play and dominance of the ball present at The Hawthorns this evening.

However, there was a lack of cutting edge in the final moment for the Foxes, who so often find a way to net thanks to a magical moment from Abdul Fatawu and company.

West Brom will know that they have come up against a top-end Championship side tonight by the sheer amount of defending they had to battle through in the Black Country, with the Baggies' defence extremely impressive considering it is brand new for 2025-26.

The hosts did not have all of the ball at The Hawthorns but possessed the attacking players to pose problems for Leicester on the break, with Iling-Junior announcing himself properly to the home faithful, while Norway international Aune Heggebo has likely done enough to keep Josh Maja out of the XI for another game at least.

Albion had plenty of chances to put the game beyond the visitors in the second half but failed to, meaning that there was always the opportunity for Leicester to grab a point in the dying embers of proceedings.

WEST BROM VS. LEICESTER HIGHLIGHTS

Samuel Iling-Junior goal vs. Leicester (10th min, West Brom 1-0 Leicester)

Samuel Iling-Junior with a MAGNIFICENT solo effort! ?? pic.twitter.com/NCKFQAlZ1y
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 26, 2025

What a moment at The Hawthorns for Iling-Junior!

Leicester have enjoyed the better of the opening 10 minutes, but Albion hit on the break to start the scoring, with Heggebo deserving of credit for an excellent flick-on which sets Iling-Junior away.

The Aston Villa loanee receives the ball just inside the Foxes half and drives menacingly towards the defence, sitting Wout Faes on the floor and getting his shot off just before Boubakary Soumare and Luke Thomas can intervene.

Iling-Junior had played just 17 minutes of Championship action before tonight, and he has now announced himself to the Black Country crowd in perfect fashion.

Nat Phillips own goal vs. West Brom (93rd min, West Brom 1-1 Leicester)

LEICESTER EQUALISE IN STOPPAGE-TIME! ?? pic.twitter.com/p2JjxfV3Hd
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 26, 2025

Leicester rescue a point at the death, but they have a large chunk of luck to thank for it!

Probing the West Brom defence until the very end of the match, Fatawu delivers a ball to the back post where Bobby Reid connects with an effort which is set to trickle wide, before a deflection off Phillips diverts the tame strike past Josh Griffiths.

MAN OF THE MATCH - SAMUEL ILING-JUNIOR

Following the departure of Tom Fellows to Southampton near the end of the summer window, West Brom undoubtedly lost a major part of their attack on the right side.

However - if tonight is anything to go by - the Baggies may have found their replacement for the academy graduate in the form of Iling-Junior, who scored a mazy solo goal on his full debut for his temporary employers.

Mason's side have lacked physicality and trickery on that side of attack in recent defeats, and the Villa loanee boasted both in abundance at The Hawthorns, providing plenty of eye-catching moments.

WEST BROM VS. LEICESTER MATCH STATS

Possession: West Brom 41%-59% Leicester

Shots: West Brom 11-13 Leicester

Shots on target: West Brom 5-1 Leicester

Corners: West Brom 3-3 Leicester

Fouls: West Brom 13-16 Leicester

WHAT NEXT?

Now on a mission to forget their last-minute heartbreak, West Brom make the long trip to East Anglia on Wednesday night, when Norwich City will be the hosts at Carrow Road.

Leicester have the opportunity to end a three-game drawing run on Tuesday night at home to newly-promoted Wrexham in the East Midlands.