8 December 2024
Ipswich Town 1 Bournemouth 2
Ipswich Town came into this game still looking for their first home win of the season. The last time this happened was six years ago and they were relegated from the Championship. Bournemouth were the visitors to Portman Road, having claimed some big scalps this season. Most recently, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs in midweek.
The Cherries started well. As the ball was switched from one flank to the other, Semenyo controlled it superbly. He headed down the left wing, before spotting the overlapping run of the full back Kerkez. Whether his attempt was a shot or a cross, Tavernier made a glaring miss as his slight touch took it away from goal from two yards out.
It was the sort of miss that if it happened in your local league team, that player would have to down a cocktail of spirits in the pub afterwards and someone would come up with a nickname for him like ‘the starting pistol’. At some stage in the post-match partying, a random would ask why you call him that and the reply would be simple…….he is always firing blanks.
When it comes to attacking threat for the Tractor Boys, you can guarantee that Hutchinson is going to be involved somewhere. He whipped in a teasing cross from out wide and Burgess rose to get his head to it. Sadly for the hosts, he headed over the bar. He has yet to score in his Ipswich career and may not get a better chance than that.
It seemed to perk up Kieran McKenna’s side. They started pushing The Cherries back into their own half and asking questions of them. Burgess challenged for a header from a long throw-in. The ball dropped to his feet but rather than shooting from a tight angle, he had the vision to spot his teammate in a better position.
As the pass came to Chaplin, he hit a first-time shot into the bottom corner to give the hosts the lead. Portman Road erupted, at no other ground in the Premier League will you find fans more desperate to see a home win. This monkey on their back was starting to get embarrassing and everyone wanted to get rid of it.
The hosts almost doubled their lead when a shot from Taylor took a huge deflection. Kepa reacted well to make an acrobatic save to keep it out of the goal. The Cherries were under immense pressure and with the home support behind them, Ipswich were proving to be a tough opponent. It is amazing how these games can change in an instant.
McKenna’s side thought they had doubled their lead when Burgess bundled the ball over the line at the back post. He was denied his first goal as the referee blew up for a foul on the keeper. VAR very quickly, incredibly out of character, checked and cleared it. The replay showed that there was nowhere near enough of a challenge on the Spaniard to warrant a foul.
Ipswich could well feel hard done by with this. Goalkeepers are too protected by officials nowadays. If they try to come for a cross and get themselves into trouble with the physical presence in front of them, that is not an automatic foul. Delap was touch tight to Kepa but did nothing that would cause him to throw himself to the floor as he did.
The Cherries almost drew level before the break as the hosts struggled to clear their lines. Kluivert felt he should have had a penalty when he was seemingly kicked, play continued and the ball broke to Tavernier. His first-time shot had Muric beaten but it struck the inside of the post and came back out into play. At this point, Bournemouth wanted that penalty. VAR cleared the incident.
After the interval McKenna’s side had another chance to extend their lead. Szmodics got a shot off at goal that needed a save from Kepa but he really should have done better. With so much of the goal to aim for, had it been in the corner more, the Spaniard would have got nowhere near it. These are the fine margins of life in the top-flight.
Portman Road became a cauldron of nervousness as we headed into the last ten minutes of the game. Ouattara cut inside from the left wing and as Muric raced towards him, he lifted it over the keeper towards goal. Unal was there to head it, although it was debatable as to whether it would have gone in had Burgess not taken it over the line.
Deep into added time The Cherries came forward once again. As Billing put the ball into the six yard box, Ipswich were at sixes and sevens in their own box. Ouattara arrived at the back post to smash the ball into the back of the net to completely shatter Ipswich hearts. It was a cruel blow after leading this match for so long.
Bournemouth took all three points after doing the ultimate demolition job on Ipswich in the final stages of the game. It is not the first time they have done it this season, just ask Everton. One thing is for sure Iraola makes his side play until the last kick of the game. As today showed, that mentality can completely change your season.
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