Leicester dent Ipswich’s automatic promotion hopes with hard-earned draw

Leicester put a dent in Ipswich’s automatic promotion hopes but they still remain in the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone despite a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.

Patson Daka put the Foxes ahead in the 39th minute before Sindre Walle Egeli equalised for the hosts in the second half.

Town, who had several penalty appeals waved away by referee John Busby, hit a post through Dara O’Shea’s header following a corner in first half in a game of few clearcut chances.

The result means Ipswich drop down to fourth, two points adrift of the automatic places, while Leicester remain in 22nd after a third draw in their last four matches.

An error from Dan Neil presented a wonderful opportunity for Leicester midfielder Harry Winks but goalkeeper Christian Walton came to the rescue, deflecting the 20-yard shot over the crossbar with his trailing leg.

A goal-bound effort from just outside the penalty area by Azor Matusiwa was deflected behind and from the resulting corner, O’Shea struck the base of a post from close range.

The defender was in the thick of the action again when he picked up a clearance from the visiting defence, surged forward before striking a rising shot which went narrowly over the bar.

Leicester took the lead six minutes before the break. It came after Darnell Furlong was adjudged to have fouled Daka and Luke Thomas’ delivery found the striker, who converted with a fine volley on the run.

Home fans were shouting for a penalty when Ivan Azon clashed with Caleb Okoli in the penalty area, but the referee turned down the appeals. Moments later, he rejected another spot-kick when Anis Mehmeti went down following a challenge by Winks.

Mehmeti’s cross into the Leicester box failed to find a Ipswich forward as home side pressed for an equaliser, but their final pass was lacking as they failed to test Jakub Stolarczyk.

The equaliser arrived from substitute Walle Egeli in the 77th minute when Okoli blocked a shot from Mehmeti, with the Norwegian ramming home the rebound inside the near post.

Substitute Chuba Akpom nearly grabbed the winner in the third minute of stoppage time when Leif Davis picked him out in the penalty area, but the striker’s side-footed effort was deflected wide by defender Ben Nelson.

In a frantic finale, Busby waved away another penalty appeal when Cedric Kipre was challenged in the area by Hamza Choudhury, which led to the Ipswich centre-back being booked along with manager Kieran McKenna following his protests on the sideline.