Ipswich Town 0-0 Brighton & Hove Albion – Mi-temps
Thursday January 16, 2025 8:26 p.m.
Town’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion at Portman Road remains 0-0 at half-time.
Boss Kieran McKenna made three changes from the side that drew 2-2 at Fulham 11 days ago with Omari Hutchinson a surprise starter and with Kalvin Phillips and Wes Burns also coming into the team, and captain Sam Morsy on the Blues bench only for the second. time in a Championship match, the first at Oxford in March 2022.
Christian Walton continued in goal against his former club with Burns wide on the right and Leif Davis on the left with McKenna remaining with the back three of Dara O’Shea, who was captain, Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves, despite the signing of Ben Godfrey , who was among the submarines.
Phillips, who is ineligible for Sunday’s match against his parent club Manchester City, partnered Jens Cajuste in the double pivot with Hutchinson, who had been absent with a groin problem and was expected to be a substitute at best, and Nathan Broadhead behind number nine Liam. Delap.
As well as Morsy and Godfrey, striker George Hirst was back on the Championship bench for the first time since November.
Brighton, who captained former Town centre-back Adam Webster, made four changes from the side that won 4-0 in the FA Cup at Norwich at the weekend with Joao Pedro OK to start after injury at the ankle, replacing Georginio Rutter, who was part of the submarines.
Bart Verbruggen returned in goal for Jason Steele, while Matt O’Riley and Simon Adingra replaced Julio Enciso and Yankubah Minteh, with all three players dropping to the bench, alongside club captain Lewis Dunk, former international English Danny Welbeck and Solly March.
The visitors saw most of the ball early on, but without causing any danger until the sixth minute, when Joel Veltman delivered a deep cross for Kaoru Mitoma at the far post, but O’Shea in front headed in a header ahead of the Japanese international.
The match continued to be played evenly in Town’s half until the 12th minute, when Phillips and Hutchinson exchanged passes midway before the former Chelsea player burst into Brighton territory and being knocked to the ground by Webster, who was lucky not to be booked.
The free-kick came to nothing and moments later a Walton pass out from the back landed at the feet of a Brighton player, but Mitoma’s low shot to his left was easily collected by the former Seagull with the aim of the city.
Albion continued to dominate possession, but Hutchinson made another breakthrough in his own half before being dispossessed by Pervis Estupinan.
On the 22nd there was a brief moment of panic after Walton’s clearance found Veltman, but Woolfenden headed his ball into the box behind.
Despite their possession, Brighton failed to threaten and in the 23rd minute, it was the Blues who forced the first serious save.
Broadhead advanced the ball not far from halfway, weaving his way past the defenders before hitting a shot from the edge of the area, which Verbruggen did well to palm wide to his left.
Town did nothing from the corner but they were growing in confidence, Hutchinson making another strong run forward from the right two minutes later, but the England U21 international held on to it too long and was tackled.
In the 28th minute the Blues were confidently forcing their way from the back, Cajuste passing forward to Broadhead, who moved it towards Delap on the left, the attacker cutting in and firing a shot which Verbruggen again saved on his left, the Netherlands international holds on with Burns ready to pounce.
In the 38th minute, with Town now having an equal if not greater share of the ball, Hutchinson intervened on Burns in space on the right, the Welshman having been free in similar situations earlier but without having been spotted. Burns collected the ball, then moved back to the edge of the area where Hutchinson’s shot was blocked.
Two minutes later, Jan Paul van Hecke delivered a cross from the right and Estupinan appeared to have headed wide past O’Shea, but referee Tony Harrington awarded a corner. From the flag kick, the ball went just over Pedro’s head and out of play, a fortunate escape for the Blues.
Moments later, the Brazil international fell to the ground and remained there after minimal contact with Woolfenden, who had beaten him to the ball. The play continued and the Blues kept the ball in Brighton’s half as they looked for an opening, before Hutchinson eventually had a well-struck effort which Verbruggen saved to his right. Pedro showed himself able to continue.
After a minute of extra time, the half-time whistle was greeted by applause from the home supporters, satisfied with their team’s performance, the Blues having now entered the half.
Brighton saw all the ball in the first 20 minutes or so, but never forced Walton into a punishing save.
Broadhead struck the first significant effort of the game and the Blues grew in confidence and control as the half progressed, Delap and Hutchinson also hitting efforts which forced Verbruggen to make saves, although it’s not necessarily the hardest saves the Dutchman will make.
Hutchinson, Delap, Broadhead and Burns all caused problems for the visitors and the Blues will hope to do the same in the second half.
Ville : Walton, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, Burns, Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap. Remplaçants : Muric, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Morsy, Luongo, Taylor, J Clarke, Hirst.
Brighton : Verbruggen, Webster (c), Joao Pedro, Adingra, Baleba, Mitoma, Ayari, Van Hecke, Estupinan, O’Riley, Veltman. Replacements : Steele, Lamptey, Dunk, March, Enciso, Georginio, Moder, Minteh, Welbeck. Referee : Tony Harrington (Cleveland). VAR : Michael Salisbury.
Photo: Match day footage
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