A second-string Ipswich team added another feather to manager Kieran McKenna’s cap after rallying from two goals behind to upset Wolves in the Carabao Cup third round at Portman Road.
McKenna, who has established a reputation as one of England’s sharpest coaches after masterminding Tractors Boys’ promotion to the Sky Bet Championship last season, saw his club fall behind 2-0 early on.
Hwang Hee-Chan and Toti scored within 15 minutes for the Premier League side, but they fell to their sixth defeat in eight games under new manager Gary O’Neil.
Omari Hutchinson kicked off the Ipswich comeback with a magnificent 28th-minute finish, but Freddie Ladapo ensured it was all square at the break. Jack
Ipswich’s Dominic Ball was at fault after clearing Pablo Sarabia’s cross to Sasa Kalajdzic, who passed through to the unmarked Hwang, whose left-footed strike was too powerful for Vaclav Hladky.
It stunned the Portman Road crowd, which had witnessed the Tractor Boys make a flying start to their Championship return by winning seven of their first eight games, but it was 2-0 inside a quarter-hour.
Sarabia’s dangerous corner found full debutant Santiago Bueno, and while Hladky saved from close range, Wolves defender Toti was on hand to smash home on the goal line to punish more sloppy Ipswich defense.
The Chelsea loanee had looked dangerous, and when Marcus Harness slipped him in, he did not need a second invitation to rifle past Wolves skipper Dan Bentley from eight yards with his weaker right foot.
Bentley was pressed into action next by Hutchinson’s better left foot, but the visitors’ goalkeeper was able to tip over the 20-yard free kick.
McKenna’s men were now on the offensive, and Ladapo equalized six minutes before halftime.
Harness played in Ipswich’s trusty back-up forward, and his low strike was too strong for Bentley, who got a touch to the effort but couldn’t prevent the hosts from regaining parity.
The intentions were signaled by a Harness shot deflected wide 50 seconds into the second period.
