Patson Daka’s double earns struggling Leicester a point against Preston

Patson Daka raced back from international duty to score twice and earn Leicester a point in their fight against relegation following a 2-2 draw against Preston.

Striker Daka, who started for the Foxes having played for Zambia against Argentina in Buenos Aires in the early hours of Wednesday, pounced on Andrew Moran’s under-hit back-pass and sidestepped goalkeeper Daniel Iversen to roll in a fourth-minute opener from the edge of the penalty area.

Moran made amends for his error when he struck a 38th-minute equaliser – his first Preston goal since arriving from Brighton in February – taking on Lewis Dobbin’s pass and striking a shot that just crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.

Ben Whiteman then looped in a 45th-minute header from Alfie Devine’s corner to put the visitors on course for a second successive victory.

But Daka capitalised on another error to equalise in the 81st minute, pouncing to thrash an equaliser into the roof of the net after Pol Valentin had played the ball across the face of his own penalty area in trying to clear Abdul Fatawu’s cross.

Leicester remain in the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone, with only one win in 14 league matches, but their second-half recovery will give them hope for the run-in.

Preston looked disjointed after Daka’s early opener and Leicester should have extended their lead in the 33rd minute.

Stephy Mavididi flicked up a cross from the left which Daka controlled on the edge of the area before beating Devine, only for Iversen to block his shot.

Preston’s former Leicester goalkeeper then clawed away Divine Mukasa’s hooked shot after Daka had played the ball in from the right.

But the visitors then turned the game around to lead at half-time.

Moran struck a shot that bounced down off the bar, with referee Ben Speedie’s watch telling him the ball had crossed the line, before Whiteman was left unmarked at the far post from Devine’s corner to make it 2-1.

Leicester attempted to respond after the break, with Iversen reacting well to beat away Harry Winks’ first-time shot from just outside the area.

There was controversy in the 63rd minute as Jordan Storey brought down a chasing Daka around 40 yards from goal, the referee allowing play to continue as Oliver Skipp ran clear and was denied by Iversen, before going back to book the Preston centre-back as the home fans called for a sending-off.

Iversen then acrobatically pushed aside Luke Thomas’s long-range shot as Leicester continued to push for an equaliser – which Daka eventually provided.

They almost won it late on as Winks’ shot was deflected just wide, but had to settle for a point.