Coventry 0-1 Leicester
- Published
Big-spending Leicester got off to a winning start in their promotion challenge, with Lee Peltier's goal earning victory at Coventry.
The Foxes saw Darius Vassell dismissed early on for a tackle on Richard Keogh before Coventry's Carl Baker was sent off for a challenge on Richie Wellens.
The visitors were denied a goal when David Nugent's header hit the post before Peltier nodded Leicester ahead.
Coventry struggled to create chances as the assured Foxes closed out the game.
Leicester signed 10 players in pre-season and seven of them - including former Huddersfield man Peltier - started the match as manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's side looked to justify their tag as one of the favourites for promotion.
But the adrenalin of the new season appeared to overwhelm striker Vassell, who gave referee Darren Deadman little choice but to brandish the first red card of the 2011-2012 Championship season for a studs-first challenge on Keogh on the halfway line.
The dismissal allowed Coventry to push further up the pitch, while there were signs of dissent within the Foxes ranks and a disjointed air about the visitors' play.
Coventry were patient and probing, with the home side almost taking advantage of their extra man when David Bell's strike was tipped over by keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
The Sky Blues had a grip of the game but Baker's red card after 39 minutes evened out the numbers and changed the complexion of the match.
Eriksson's side became more of a force and Nugent got on the end of a Neil Danns cross, only for his effort to ricochet off the inside of the post and into the grateful arms of keeper Joe Murphy.
Nugent should have scored when he was found by a ball from left-back Paul Konchesky but the forward sent an eight-yard shot the wrong side of the post.
His blushes were saved when a right-wing cross from Wellens was expertly headed in after 52 minutes by Peltier.