EFL: Another twist in the promotion race
Leicester City 1 - 1 Ipswich Town
Jeremy Sarmiento scored a late equaliser against Championship leaders Leicester City at the King Power Stadium and guided his Ipswich team back into the coveted automatic promotion spots.
Initially, Leicester seemed on the verge of extending their lead by 10 points, courtesy of an own goal by Leif Davis in the first half.
The second half had more excitement, featuring Foxes goalkeeper Mads Hermansen's spectacular save from Wes Burns and Kasey McAteer's valiant effort cleared off the line at the other end.
When Hermansen could only parry a Massimo Luongo shot in the area, Brighton loanee Sarmiento seized the opportunity, swiftly scoring a shot that eluded the Danish goalkeeper.
This marked the second time in four weeks that Ipswich snatched a late draw against Leicester, following a similar feat on Boxing Day at Portman Road. The draw this time elevated Ipswich above Southampton, reclaiming second place, while Leicester maintained a seven-point lead at the top.
Leicester's 10-game unbeaten league run, including eight wins, came to an end in their previous match against Coventry City, marking their fourth league loss of the season. Despite this setback, they continued to lead the table, with only the 2006 Reading side surpassing their points tally after 28 games.
The game also saw manager Enzo Maresca absent from the touchline after receiving his third yellow card of the season. Concerns over influential midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's fitness were allayed as he started the match.
On the bench for the first time in two months, Leicester welcomed back the fit-again 37-year-old former England international Jamie Vardy. His late entrance initially brought cheers of delight but ended in disappointment as Sarmiento stunned the Foxes faithful with his late equaliser.
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Leicester's bright and dominant start saw them dominate possession and create numerous chances. Tom Cannon and Stephy Mavididi both had shots on goal. Despite Ipswich's resilient defence, Mavididi's quality eventually broke through, with a low ball causing Davis to inadvertently bundle it into his own net.
Leicester continued to create chances in the first half, with Pereira and McAteer missing the target, and Cannon being thwarted by Ipswich's keeper, Vaclav Hladky.
Ipswich, a team making a strong push for automatic promotion after rising from League One, failed to pose a threat in the initial 45 minutes. Manager Kieran McKenna's positive changes in the second half, including a close-range volley from Burns, showcased a more determined side.
A Lewis Travis clearance off Ipswich's line and Hladky's saves denied Leicester additional goals, while Sarmiento's crucial goal secured Ipswich's grip on the fight for automatic promotion.
That's still a good draw
Chris, a Leicester fan, told us:
"Two games against the second-placed team in the league. Two draws and two games in which we have conceded late on. Many fans are moaning about our performances, but let's just take our royal-blue-tinted spectacles off for a moment.
"Ipswich Town are a great side. They are second in the Championship and have been since match eight. They are there for a reason. I believe they have gained the most points from losing positions in the league, and they have also lost the fewest games of any team in the league.
"Success builds expectations, and we are having a season of great success so far. But we are - with a few exceptions - a young team with a new manager. We have won more games than anyone, scored more goals than anyone, conceded fewer goals than anyone. And we are still 24 points ahead of seventh."
Proud of this team
Marcus, an Ipswich fan, also gave his thoughts on the match:
"We deserved to get something from the game. I am so proud of the team, and how they constantly fight back against adversity. The first half was difficult, but we came back well in the second 45 minutes. It's going to be a very exciting end to the season."
"It's hard to believe that two years ago, many people didn't see a way out of League One. Now, I genuinely think that we could be playing in the Premier League next season."
Positive vibes after a point on the road.
— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) January 23, 2024
Bring on another week of hard work. 👊#itfc pic.twitter.com/PaSyVmgQyV
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