Learning quickly on their Premier League journey was always going to be paramount to Ipswich Town’s survival aims, but the manner in which they squandered the opportunity for a first league win of the season smacked of worrying naivety.
Leicester substitute Jordan Ayew scored a fine injury-time equaliser after a delightful one-two with Jamie Vardy, but the visitors ought not to have been afforded the chance.
Leading by a sumptuous Leif Davis volley after 55 minutes, Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich firstly frittered away a glorious chance to make it 2-0 when Dara O’Shea had only to nod home a delicious Davis free-kick.
Then, Kalvin Phillips, who had already been cautioned in the first half, lunged in needlessly on Ricardo Pereira in the 77th minute and was rightly sent off.
His dismissal drew Leicester forward and invited pressure on the Ipswich back line that was ultimately too suffocating to resist.
The final lack of clear-sightedness belonged to Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, whose superbly floated diagonal pass had earlier been met by the most sweetly-timed volley from Davis to give the hosts their precious lead.
With Leicester encamped around the Ipswich area, Morsy broke clear. He could have headed for the opposing corner flag or even tried a speculative 50-yard lob over backtracking visiting keeper Mads Hermansen.
Instead, he dallied unsure on the halfway line and lost possession from which Leicester scored.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna preferred to focus on the lack of a penalty award for his side that immediately preceded Phillips’ red card.
Conor Chaplin, whose energy and willingness to shoot, had been Ipswich’s most likely route to goal in the first half, appeared to be barged over by Abdul Fatawu only for referee Tim Robinson to wave away home protests and for VAR not to intervene.
McKenna said: “The red card and non-penalty decision were decisive moments in the game. That is three in a row now where VAR has either overturned the on-field decision or not given us something that we should have.
“It was a clear penalty. We should’ve been 2-0 up. The responsibility lays with the referee. But to then combine it with a bouncing ball in an emotional period of the game where both players have the right to go for the ball and Kalvin pulls out with not even Leicester looking for a second yellow card was a poor decision.”
Leicester manager Steve Cooper praised his side’s determination rescued them a point. He said: “There was always a desire to win here but the point is better for us than for Ipswich. We started and ended the game well.”
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