Leicester City midfielder Kieran Dewsbury-Hall scored two late goals to help the demoted Foxes start life in the Championship with a win over luckless Coventry City.

Last season’s beaten Championship play-off finalists appeared on course for a deserved three points when Kyle McFadzean scored from a near-post corner in the 47th minute.

Both sides of the City captain’s strike, the Gus Hamer-inspired Sky Blues squandered golden chances.

But Mark Robins’ men were punished as Dewsbury-Hall equalised on 77 minutes before being fed by new signing Stephy Mavididi to curl home the winner in the 87th minute – and secure victory for new Foxes boss Enzo Maresca in his first game in command.

Sunday’s Championship action: As it turned out, both teams chose to start four of their summer acquisitions.

Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, midfielder Harry Winks, and striker Stephy Mavididi all made their debuts, as did on-loan Manchester City defender Callum Doyle against his former side.

The Foxes also granted debut to rookie striker Kasey McAteer, while fit-again Danish defender Jannik Vestergaard made his first league game since February 2022.

Coventry, who got goalkeeper Ben Wilson back after a pre-season back injury, had three new defenders in front of him in Jay Dasilva, Bobby Thomas, and Joel Latibeaudiere.

Ellis Simms began up front, with Hamer also starting amid summer transfer rumors – and the Sky Blues had new record signing Haji Wright on the bench.

They were far superior from the moment Kasey Palmer’s chip went barely over and another shot was diverted wide.

Simms and McFadzean then had shots stopped in the same goalmouth skirmish from a Hamer corner soon before halftime.

Coventry threatened again after the restart, and Simms skied wide before McFadzean peeled off his marker at the front post to power home Hamer’s left-wing corner.

Matty Godden, who had been cleverly served by Palmer, was denied by Hermansen’s one-handed save and then really should have done better from Hamer’s superb 50-yard ball, but his low left-foot finish was terrible – weak and way wide.

Hamer, who had a troubled pre-season, then came off with a calf issue, and the visitors were made to pay for their carelessness when Dennis Praet crossed from the right for Dewsbury-Hall to smash home an equalising header.

Wright, a substitute for Coventry, had a powerful shot deflected onto the bar by Hermansen, but Godden sent the rebound wide with the keeper beaten.

Leicester moved up the other end a minute later to win it, thanks to Dewsbury-Hall’s fantastic right-foot curler from 15 yards.