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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Mahrez brace allows Leicester to make their mark in Europe

Leicester City continue to deceive after winning their first ever Champions League match.

Claudio Ranieri's Premier League-winning Foxes defeated Club Brugge 3-0 at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday night in their opening Group G fixture.

It was a dream start for the East Midlands club in Belgium with Marc Albrighton was on hand to turn Luis Hernandez's long throw-in in just the fifth minute for his club's debut goal in Europe's premier club competition.

That early goal set the scene for the night as Leicester went two ahead just before the half-hour mark after Jamie Vardy was fouled on the edge of the area by Brugge skipper Timmy Simons.

Riyad Mahrez stepped up to the dead ball and struck a sweet free-kick into the top corner to open his Champions League scoring account.

Late in the first half, Danny Drinkwater attempted an outrageous volley which was just tipped over by Ludovic Butelle but a third goal wasn't too far off for the visiting Foxes.

On 61 minutes, Vardy used his pace to go around Butelle only for the Frenchman to bring down the England international, landing him a booking.

It was Mahrez who again stepped up, producing a stuttered run-up before unleashing down the middle of the net to make it an unassailable 3-0 lead to Leicester.

And that's all that was required from last season's surprise English champions who continue to take the football world by storm with an emphatic victor to kickstart their European adventure in some style.

Leicester's next Euro match will take place Portuguese giants Porto on September 27 as Brugge prepare to meet Danish champions FC Copenhagen on the same date.


2016/17 UEFA Champions League - Group G

Club Brugge (BEL): 0
Leicester City (ENG): 3 (Marc Albrighton 5, Riyad Mahrez 29'/(PEN) 61')

Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium

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Andrew Slevison
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