94th minute equaliser by Leicester robs Ipswich of first win of the Premier League season

The battle of two of the promoted teams from the Championship failed to produce a victory for either side in today’s Premier League clash at Portman Road.

Ipswich are still seeking their first three points of the season but could only end up with a 1-1 draw against Leicester City at Portman Road after the visitors snatched an equaliser in the 94th minute through substitute Jordan Ayew.

Leif Davis’ expertly guided volley after 55 minutes opened the scoring but they were crucially reduced to 10 men when Kalvin Phillips was given a second yellow card in the 78th minute for a challenge on Richardo Pereira, the second time in as many games that Ipswich had been reduced to 10 players after Harry Clarke was dismissed at Brentford last week.

The visitors were the first to show their teeth when an incisive pass from Wilfred Ndidi found Foxes skipper Jamie Vardy who squared the ball to Stephy Mavididi but he miscued his shot and the ball was cleared by Dara O’Shea.

The visitors continued to press the Town defence and the Tractor Boys’ goalkeeper Arijanet Muric pushed away a shot from Abdul Fatawu.

And at the other end Omari Hutchinson’s fierce cross from the right was headed over by Sammy Szmodics and Conor Chaplin’s shot went just wide of Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen’s left hand post.

Muric was called into action again in the 16th minute when he parried away a goal bound effort from Argentinian international and Brighton loanee Fecundo Buonanotte.

It was very much an even contest as the game entered the half way mark of the first half as Leif Davis’ delivery from a corner was met on the volley by Kalvin Phillips but Buonanotte threw himself in the way and then did well to spring to his feet and deflect O’Shea’s follow-up effort behind.

Moments later Buonanotte received the first yellow card of the game for kicking the ball away.

O’Shea held his head in his hands when he missed a golden opportunity to put the Town in front after meeting another corner from Davis. He was unmarked at the far post but headed the ball down and just wide of the Leicester right hand post.

Town were pressing for the opening goal and six minute before the break a mazy dribble across the edge of the penalty area by Chaplin resulted in his shot curling inches past the post as Hermansen was left to scramble across his goal line.

Phillips crashed into Buonatte as he was about to release a pass and was booked as Ipswich exerted pressure on the visitors who resolutely defended attack after attack.

The deadlock was broken in the 55th minute when Davis volleyed in the opening goal.

He was picked out from a pin point crossfield pass from skipper Sam Morsy to sumptuously side foot the ball into the back of the Leicester net past a helpless Hermansen from the angle of the six yard box.

Referee Tim Robinson brandished another yellow card when he booked Mavididi who threw the ball down in a strop following a clash with Town’s full back Ben Johnson.

Liam Delap was fouled just outside the penalty area but Phillips’ free kick struck the head of Ndidi in the Leicester wall.

Leicester were the first to make changes in the 71st minute when Frenchman Boubakary Soumare and Republic of Ireland international Kasey McAteer were introduced in place of Ndidi and Mavadidi while Ipswich duo Jack Clarke and former Leicester player George Hirst replaced Szmodics and Delap three minutes later.

Chaplin appeared to be barged over in the penalty area by Fatawu but the referee turned appeals away and as Town kept up the pressure Phillips fouled Pereira to get his second yellow card and was sent off.

Leicester brought on Moroccan international Bilal el Khannouss while Jens Cajuste and Wes Burns replaced Chaplin and Hutchinson.

Chaplin let off steam at the fourth official as he left the field and was booked.

Leicester sub Ayew came on in place of defender Victor Kristiansen and he was immediately sent clear on goal. He lifted the ball past Muric but Cameron Burgess was there to block behind and was mobbed by his team-mates with the majority of the 29,874 crowd celebrating like it was a goal.

Hirst was booked in the 89th minute and Leicester grabbed the equaliser in the 94th minute through Ayew who played a sharp one two with Vardy in the box before slotting the ball past Muric.