CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — It was poignant and emotional at Leicester's first match on Saturday since owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died in a helicopter crash.
The tears shed by Kasper Schmeichel summed up the mood as a huge banner, a Thai flag with "RIP Vichai" and the Leicester badge, was unfurled before the English Premier League game at Cardiff.
Somehow, though, the goalkeeper and his teammates managed to put their collective grief to one side to focus on the football for 90 minutes and grind out a 1-0 victory.
There was a united feeling before the game when two big banners were pushed around the ground by both sets of fans. Floral tributes were laid on the pitch as the teams and coaching staff gathered in the center circle for a minute's silence for Vichai, one of five victims of last Saturday's crash outside the club's King Power Stadium.
Leicester then gathered in a huddle for Schmeichel's team talk and, whatever emotive words he used, they seemed to work as Demarai Gray scored the only goal with a low finish in the 55th minute.
Gray celebrated by removing his jersey to reveal an undershirt on which was written "For Khun Vichai." The Leicester fans sang Vichai's name for the rest of a highly charged afternoon.
At the final whistle, Leicester's players came together to embrace. Their next task will be to fly out to Bangkok for Vichai's funeral.
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