Ipswich fans sung the name of their most famous manager during the second half and their team produced a comeback of which Sir Bobby Robson would have been proud.
Trailing to Championship leaders Leicester since the half-hour mark after an own-goal from Leif Davis, Ipswich improved dramatically in the second half and deserved their late equaliser through substitute Jeremy Sarmiento, who scored with a minute of normal time remaining.
That is one point from the last two games for Leicester and while they still have a seven-point cushion at the top, Enzo Maresca’s men do not look quite so comfortable as a month or so ago.
If Leicester blow it from here it would be one of the most surprising collapses of recent times. With Ricardo Pereira, Harry Winks and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in midfield and James Justin at the back, this is one of the best squads in the history of the Championship would not look out of place in the top flight.
Ipswich have invested heavily but deserve huge credit for staying in the race after winning promotion from League One last season.
Even though Vaclav Hladky made several saves Ipswich, Kieran McKenna’s team still had their moments before the goal when Conor Chaplin and Wes Burns went close.
Even though their manager was in the stands serving a touchline ban, Leicester moved quickly into their stride. Ipswich’s plan to play out from the back nearly cost them twice and in general play the Foxes were just a yard quicker.
The perfect example came when Ricardo Pereira caught Lewis Travis on his heels and found Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who could not decide whether to pass or shoot and Ipswich escaped.
Tom Cannon – preferred in the starting XI to fit-again Jamie Vardy – saw a shot blocked by Luke Woolfenden and Vaclav Hladky flew to his left to turn Hamza Choudhury’s 20-yard effort around the post.
The visitors tried to target Jannik Vestergaard’s lack of pace and Conor Chaplin should have hit the target from edge of the box just before the half-hour mark after Kayden Jackson’s lay-off.
Moments later, Leicester were ahead. Stephy Mavididi played a one-two with the excellent Pereira and when Hladky stretched to cut out the cross, he could only palm it against team-mate Davis. The own-goal was unavoidable and Leicester led.
They would have been further ahead at the interval had Pereira been more accurate when Woolfenden’s poor clearance dropped to him inside the box while Hladky did well to parry Cannon’s drive from just outside the area.
Leicester survived a scare early in the second half when Wes Burns sprung their defensive line and latched on to Harry Clarke’s header, with Hermansen showing impressive reflexes to turn the wide man’s volley over the top.
But the home side soon picked up the pace again. Travis headed off the line and Massimo Luongo threw himself in front of Kasey McAteer’s crisp volley from just outside the D. Travis had looked shaky all night and it was no surprise when he was replaced by Jack Taylor soon after the hour – only for Taylor to have a nervy moment of his own when his overhit backpass nearly caught out Hladky. Luongo was then lucky only to be booked for a forearm smash that flattened Wout Faes.
His team-mate Harry Clarke also might have been sent off for flying into Dewsbury-Hall, which incensed the Leicester players. They were pushing for the second by now and after Hladky did well to save from Mavididi, Cannon’s overhead-kick was just too high. Yet Ipswich still posed a threat and substitute Nathan Broadhead was stopped in his tracks by Vestergaard’s fine block.
Dewsbury-Hall was correctly denied a penalty for tumbling unnecessarily and Hladky – excellent throughout – produced another impressive stop from Cannon. Cannon’s departure with nine minutes to go ensured a huge ovation for Vardy, back after nearly two months out. Seconds later, it was Ipswich’s turn to demand a penalty when Justin’s clearance hit Vestergaard on the thigh and bounced against his hand.
But Ipswich were well on top now and deserved their equaliser. Hermansen made a huge hash of Luongo’s shot, parrying it straight to Sarmiento who rammed home and made Leicester feel just a little jittery.
