Ghanaian attacker Kamaldeen Sulemana made an injury return to play in Southampton's painful home defeat to Leicester City in the English Premier League on Saturday evening.
Sulemana has been sidelined with a knee injury since August 2024 and was declared fit for the fixture against Leicester City by Russell Martin in the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
It was a painful home defeat for Sulemana, who was making a return to action after spending several weeks in the treatment room when Leicester City staged a stunning comeback from two goals down as Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time winner gave them a dramatic victory against Southampton in a Premier League thriller at St Mary's Stadium.
The Foxes looked down and out, feeling the wrath of their travelling supporters as goals from Cameron Archer and Joe Aribo gave the Saints a thoroughly deserved half-time advantage inside 28 minutes.
Archer steered home a simple finish from Ryan Manning’s left-wing cross after eight minutes, before Aribo applied a similar strike as Kyle Walker-Peters sent in the delivery.
Southampton were dominant but Leicester showed great resilience and were inspired by a brilliant individual display from substitute Abdul Fatawu after he was introduced on the hour.
He had already started to pose a threat even before Facundo Buonanotte turned in his cross from close range, signalling a sensational Leicester revival.
Fatawu had turned the game on its head and he was a central figure again when Leicester drew level 16 minutes from time, first shooting against the bar, then forcing a fine save from Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale with a header seconds later.
In the resulting melee, Ryan Fraser dragged back Jamie Vardy as he tried to pounce on the rebound, the veteran striker scoring the resulting penalty with the Saints substitute shown a red card.
And, in a frantic finale, Ayew delighted Leicester fans and left the home support to turn on their team with that strike seven minutes into stoppage time.
Sulemana was introduced in the 78th minute after his side had been reduced to ten men as replacement for Tyler Dibling.
The former Rennes and FC Nordsjaelland forward is yet to score for Southampton under Martin's management - his only goals for the club came on the final day of the 2022/23 season.
He registered just three assists in the Championship last season across 948, all of which came before an injury he picked up in December.
