Marcelino Núñez delivered one of the goals of the season — a breathtaking 50-yard lob over the stranded Leicester City goalkeeper — as Ipswich Town swept past the Foxes 3-1 in the Carabao Cup second round at Portman Road on Tuesday.

Gary O'Neil's Premier League side were made to work hard for progress. Leicester, currently battling in League One following their relegation from the top flight, arrived with confidence after edging a tight, goalless first half and drawing level in the second through teenager Olabade Aluko.

A tale of two halves

Neither side settled quickly. Leicester almost gifted Ipswich a lead inside 33 seconds, but Chuba Akpom failed to capitalise. The visitors then grew into the contest — Brighton loanee Tom Watson testing Christian Walton with a curled effort, while Walton also denied Christian McFarlane's attempted chip in the 20th minute following a fine Louis Page pass.

At the other end, Ipswich goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk made a fine save from Dara O'Shea's header, and Walton was alert again to push Conor Chaplin's curler wide as Leicester finished the half strongly.

After the interval, Kasey McAteer had a goal ruled out for offside two minutes into the second half. Chaplin was then withdrawn to a standing ovation on the hour mark — a warm moment amid a difficult period for Russell Martin's side.

Egeli breaks the deadlock

Ipswich made the breakthrough in the 62nd minute. Akpom played Jack Clarke through, and Clarke squared for Sindre Walle Egeli to stroke home with a composed left-footed finish — a goal of genuine Premier League quality.

Leicester hit back almost immediately. Page's corner was flicked on by Bobby De Cordova-Reid, and 19-year-old Aluko got a faint but decisive touch to score his first professional goal and level the tie at 1-1.

Núñez seals it in stunning fashion

Núñez restored Ipswich's lead in the 71st minute, rifling home off a post after Woyo Coulibaly surrendered possession — the Chilean's first goal at Portman Road since joining the club last summer.

Akpom then squandered a one-on-one opportunity that could have sealed the tie earlier, but Núñez needed no such help in stoppage time. Picking the ball up inside his own half, he spotted Stolarczyk off his line and executed a stunning lob from roughly 50 yards that arced perfectly over the helpless goalkeeper.

The result sends Ipswich Town into the Carabao Cup third round for only the second time in 11 seasons, while Leicester — who were booed off after their recent defeat to Burton — face mounting pressure on manager Martin as they bid to escape League One.