Ipswich vs Bournemouth Report

Scorers: Chapin 21’; Unal 88’, Ouattara 90+5’

Ipswich Town were left heartbroken after conceding two late goals to Bournemouth, who staged a stunning comeback to snatch a 2-1 victory at Portman Road.

The result denied Ipswich their first home win in the Premier League since 2001 and left them firmly rooted in the relegation zone.

Ipswich Strike First in High-Octane Opening

With the Portman Road faithful in full voice, Ipswich started brightly. Sammie Szmodics set the tone for a feisty encounter with a crunching tackle on Adam Smith, earning an early yellow card.

Energised by the home support, Jack Taylor nearly opened the scoring with a header that sailed just over the bar.

Moments later, Ipswich found the breakthrough. Cameron Burgess delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Conor Chaplin, who fired a precise shot into the bottom corner, sparking jubilant celebrations and raising hopes of a long-awaited top-flight home victory.

VAR Drama Denies Ipswich a Cushion

Ipswich thought they had doubled their lead when Burgess headed in a corner at the far post. However, VAR intervened, ruling that Liam Delap had obstructed Bournemouth goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in the buildup, nullifying the goal.

Bournemouth immediately countered, with Justin Kluivert appearing to have been brought down in the box. After a tense VAR review, referee Michael Salisbury upheld his original decision to play on, leaving both sets of fans on edge.

Bournemouth grew into the game as halftime approached, but they failed to create clear-cut opportunities, heading into the break still trailing.

Bournemouth’s Substitutions Shift Momentum

The second half began with neither side able to take control, though Lewis Cook came close for Bournemouth with a speculative long-range effort that narrowly missed the target.

Recognizing the need for fresh impetus, Andoni Iraola introduced Enes Ünal and Dango Ouattara, injecting pace and energy into Bournemouth’s attack.

Ipswich had a golden opportunity to seal the game when Szmodics found himself one-on-one with Arrizabalaga after a clever pass from Delap. However, the Bournemouth goalkeeper came up big, denying Szmodics with a crucial point-blank save.

Late Goals Turn the Tide

Bournemouth’s relentless pressure finally paid off in the 87th minute. Ouattara burst down the left flank, drawing Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric off his line. His cross found Ünal at the far post, who bundled the ball into the net to level the score.

Deep into stoppage time, Bournemouth completed the turnaround. Ouattara, involved once again, combined brilliantly with his teammates to exploit a fatigued Ipswich defence and slotted home from close range, sealing an unforgettable victory for the Cherries.

Conclusion: Bournemouth Triumph Amid Ipswich’s Despair

For Ipswich, this result will be a bitter pill to swallow as they remain four points adrift of safety, while Bournemouth’s dramatic victory lifts them further away from the relegation battle.

The Cherries showcased resilience and composure under pressure, delivering a devastating blow to Ipswich’s survival hopes.

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Ipswich v Bournemouth, 2024/25 | Premier League