> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Nunez stuns Leicester with audacious late lob as Town beat Leicester 3-1 - URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/nunez-stuns-leicester-with-audacious-late-lob-as-town-beat-leicester-3-1/ - Published: 2026-08-27T08:25:43.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-27T08:25:43.000Z - Description: Ipswich Town beat Leicester City 3-1 at Portman Road on Tuesday night, with Marcelino Nunez scoring twice, including an extraordinary 91st-minute effort from near the centre circle that looped over the Leicester keeper and went in off the bar. - Author: Barbara Norrey - Tags: Opinion, Ipswich Town FC ## **Pre-match preamble** Leicester City, aka ‘The Foxes’, have had a very bumpy ride for the last few years, with breaches of PSR rules, a revolving door of managers, a tragically lost owner, Financial Fair Play disputes…to name but a few problems. Hence their descent to League 1, which must be tough for the players and the fans. But perhaps because of this, I think they will come here tonight with a fierce desire to win; there can be no complacency on our part. How people love a ‘giant killer’ too. ## **On the train** I met Bob and his son Geoff on the platform, and the former seemed surprised that I thought we would fare well with Gary O’Neal as our manager. I really think, at this level, he has the experience we need and, of course, the extra funding this year to put it into practice. So far, I’m impressed with the new additions to our team and how quickly they appear to have bonded. But of course one swallow does not a summer make. ## **More goodbyes** Many fans have said they are looking forward to tonight as a way to show their appreciation of all Conor Chaplin and Wes Burns have brought to Town over the years they played for us. It will be strange to see them wearing the Leicester strip, but we do wish them well. ## **The Game** The Foxes came out in determined fashion and initially had more of the ball, apart from a shot across goal by Akpom which I think was meant as a shot, full stop, not a pass. Walton saved a good effort from Watson early on - it was clear that Leicester meant business. Then a brace of Christians went head to head, with a decent attempt on goal by Christian McFarlane being fairly easily contained by Christian Walton. There was a lot of two-and-froing in the midfield with neither side threatening to score until Akpom had another decent chance saved and O’Shea had a header cleared harmlessly. Then we all held our breath as Chaplin stepped up and sent a curler with pace towards the corner of the Town goal. Nooooo! But Walton’s hands safely gathered it in. That would have made the headline for the match in all the media. **HT: Ipswich Town 0 – 0 Leicester City** They all came out determined to break the deadlock in the second half and Town thought they had done just that, when a strong header from O’Shea was netted from the rebound by McAteer – but the off side flag had been raised rather belatedly**,** denying Kasey a first goal of the match against his former club. Around the hour mark, a great pass down the left to Jack Clarke saw him play it into Walle Egeli, who swept it beautifully onwards into the bottom corner for Town’s opening goal. This goal seemingly triggered the opposition into life and with Town upping their game accordingly, it was gloves off for all (except the keepers, of course) - let the battle commence. And commence it did. Minutes later, Leif Davis flew down the left, centred to Akpom, but his path towards goal was then blocked by Stolarczyk. Straight back to the other end where a good save from Walton led to a corner from which the Foxes equalised. Aluko made sure to bury a good header from De Cordova-Reid with one of his own for the equaliser. Game on. A scrappy attack at Town’s goalmouth was cleared to the edge of the box, but picked up by Nunez. With a couple of steps and an eye to a space in the defenders, he unleashed a shot into the left-hand corner. This was without a doubt an inspired shot. BUT! If that was inspired, what came next was almost unbelievable. On the 91st minute, standing close to the centre-circle, Nunez spotted Stolarczyk mid-field off his line. With others anticipating a pass, he instead lifted the ball high towards the goal and somehow it looped down, hit the bar and ricocheted into the net, with the keeper’s desperate recovery efforts in vain. We were cheering and laughing all at the same time. Seeing out the last few minutes with ease, Town could be proud of an entertaining game and a hard-fought, decent win. **FT: Ipswich Town 3 – 1 Leicester City** ## **Men of the Match** There were cheers for Conor and Wes, but we might not have been so happy to see them if they had scored. Academy players Tudor Mendel and Charlie Compton made their professional debut in this game. So good to see them being brought into these senior games – a very useful part of their learning going forward; a confidence-boosting experience. Christian Walton made some good key saves… A good, confident performance from Egeli again tonight; so much happier centre-field, which included a well-taken goal from a pinpoint pass by JC. Maeda entered the fray late on to inject his usual energy into play, replacing Clarke. The man is a running machine. It wasn’t Akpom’s night, however – two or three times in just the right position, but the execution eluded him. A whisker and a slice of luck away from scoring a couple of goals on another night. He was closely marked. It was surely Marcelino’s night though! He was like a whirlwind in motion all over the midfield – tackling, blocking, pushing up, picking up, and shooting. He doesn’t always get it right, but when he does, it’s rather special. He was definitely in our heads tonight, “Nunez Nunez” – the MOTM for everyone. ## **Round up** All in all, a good solid team performance, especially when it picked up on the 60-minute mark. The players all worked hard to get this one over the line, as it’s the kind of game that shouts of banana skins. One thing that still bothers me is all the holding, pulling and shoving that goes on, and is often ignored. At one point in this game, when a corner was kicked, Walton was shoved onto his backside into the goal, which happily for us resulted in a free kick. I can’t remember when it started creeping into the game, but it hasn’t always been a thing - correct me if I’m wrong. I remember my young son, a tenacious, small defender, executing ferocious sliding tackles which would horrify refs now – but I don’t remember any ‘hands on’ grabbing in those games? I had always thought that was rugby territory. It was odd sitting in a different seat with a different view, much nearer the North Stand and lower down. Loved the noise from the latter though, especially the drum. With the dark ‘Burnley like’ colouring of the Foxes strip it did make it harder to distinguish from our blues at the other end. I thought it was just me – but others in my corner did mention it too, so a visit to SpecSavers now parked for the time being. Last but not least, a shout-out to the security guard who stood guarding the corner of the box at half-time, nearest the West Stand. He was seriously in the groove with some (understated) but funky moves to the music. He was clearly enjoying it, and he brought a smile to my face – I was tempted to go and join him! ## **On the train** I met Nigel from Braintree, and we mulled over the night. One for the history books, I think. Everyone was of course talking about the Nunez goal. Last year, Fatawu, who is now one of us, hit a long-range shot for Leicester over Walton’s head into the goal to win the game for them 3-1 at the King Power Stadium. In this game, Nunez returned the favour. You couldn’t make it up.