Marcelino Núñez scores a stunning brace as Ipswich beat Leicester in the Carabao Cup

There are nights when a player puts the game in his pocket, and this was one of those nights for Marcelino Núñez. The Chilean midfielder scored a stunning brace in Ipswich's 3-1 win over Leicester in the second round of the Carabao Cup, leaving Portman Road to applause with the match ball tucked under his arm.

The Chilean started the match and needed only until the 70th minute to open his account. He struck a tight right-footed shot from the edge of the box that clipped the crossbar and dropped in, giving the goalkeeper no chance, to make it 2-1. It was the kind of finish that stays in a fan's memory, even more so when it comes in what amounts to a domestic cup final like this one.

But the best was still to come. With Leicester pushing forward in search of an equalizer and the match already in stoppage time, Núñez won the ball back in midfield and, without a second thought, unleashed a shot from distance that left the opposing goalkeeper rooted to the spot. It was the 90th minute, Ipswich's third goal, and the whole stadium was on its feet.

The finishing touch could not have been sweeter: in the 94th minute, with the result already settled, Ipswich's manager decided to substitute him. He walked off to a standing ovation, recognized by a crowd that had just watched its midfielder take the game into his own hands.

It is no small detail in the former Universidad Católica man's development in England: he arrived in English football under pressure to adapt quickly to a different rhythm, and nights like this serve as a boost both for him and for the club's Carabao Cup campaign, a competition in which Ipswich remain alive after advancing to the next round.

For the Chilean national team, which needs players getting minutes and building continuity ahead of upcoming challenges, the sight of Núñez deciding a match with two brilliant goals is good news. In the end, performances like this are the ones that end up carrying weight, both on the field and off it.