Leicester City were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, losing 3-1 to Championship rivals Ipswich Town at Portman Road. The defeat compounds a difficult period for Russell Martin's side, who finished 23rd in the Championship last season with 46 points from 46 games.
How did the match unfold?
The game began at a frantic pace, with Leicester almost conceding inside the opening minute. Chuba Akpom failed to convert a chance for Ipswich after just 33 seconds. Leicester's goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk was called into action later, making an excellent save from a Dara O'Shea header. The Foxes thought they had taken the lead shortly after half-time, but Kasey McAteer's finish was ruled out for offside. The deadlock was finally broken in the 62nd minute. Ipswich's Sindre Walle Egeli found the net after being set up by Chuba Akpom and Jack Clarke.
Leicester responded quickly. Five minutes later, a Louis Page corner was flicked on by Bobby De Cordova-Reid and 19-year-old Olabade Aluko was on hand to score his first professional goal. The joy was short-lived. Marcelino Nunez put Ipswich back in front in the 71st minute, capitalising on a mistake by Woyo Coulibaly to score his first goal at Portman Road since joining last summer. The result was sealed in spectacular fashion in stoppage time. Nunez spotted Leicester's keeper off his line and launched a stunning 50-yard lob from the centre circle to make it 3-1.
What did the managers say?
Ipswich boss Gary O'Neil admitted he was surprised by Nunez's decision to shoot for his second goal. "I didn't think it was the best decision to be honest!" O'Neil told Sky Sports Football. "Neither did Chuba (Akpom) or Sindre who were clean through on goal, but as long as you can put it in the goal no one can argue, so good decision in the end!" Leicester manager Russell Martin took a different view of his team's performance. "The players were amazing and I loved it," Martin said. "I loved the performance. We were unlucky to lose and definitely unlucky to lose 3-1."
Where does this leave Leicester City?
This cup exit follows a league defeat to Burton Albion, a result which saw Martin booed by some supporters. The club's final 2025 Championship table shows the scale of the task, having ended the campaign 49 points behind champions Coventry City. Their defensive record last term was a particular issue, conceding 68 goals while scoring 58 for a -10 goal difference. The immediate focus must shift to halting this poor run of form. You can track the team's progress and upcoming matches on our fixtures page and review the full squad on our squad roster.
What were the key individual moments?
Beyond the headline goals, several individual performances shaped the match. Leicester's Tom Watson, on loan from Brighton, tested Ipswich's back-up goalkeeper Christian Walton on multiple occasions. Walton also made saves from Christian McFarlane and Conor Chaplin before the latter was substituted on the hour mark to a standing ovation from the home fans. For Leicester, the bright spot was Aluko's maiden goal, a moment of promise from a young player in a difficult team context. The match was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change, as this fixture was a Premier League encounter just 15 months ago. For the latest player statistics and form guides, visit our dedicated stats section.
