Okazaki stunner gives Leicester win over Newcastle

Football Soccer - Leicester City v Newcastle United - Barclays Premier League - King Power Stadium - 14/3/16 Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez shakes hands with Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri after the game Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley

LEICESTER, England (Reuters) - Shinji Okazaki scored with a spectacular overhead kick to earn Leicester City a 1-0 win over Rafa Benitez's Newcastle United as they restored a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Monday.

Leicester went in front after 25 minutes when the flying Japanese beat goalkeeper Rob Elliot from close range after striker Jamie Vardy had nodded the ball back into the danger area.

City have 63 points, five ahead of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, 11 in front of third-placed Arsenal and 12 ahead of Manchester City who both have a game in hand.

Benitez, who succeeded Steve McClaren on Friday, suffered defeat in his first game as Newcastle manager and has a huge task to keep them up with a crunch match against fellow north-east relegation candidates Sunderland on Sunday.

(Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Tony Jimenez)