Brighton & Hove Albion ended their eight-game winless run in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town, propelling them into the top half of the table. The match, held at Ipswich's Portman Road, saw Brighton capitalize on key moments despite a slow start. Ipswich, under the management of Kieran McKenna, struggled to convert opportunities, particularly in the first half where they failed to punish a lackluster Brighton performance.
Ipswich had several chances to take the lead early in the game but were consistently thwarted by Brighton's goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen. Nathan Broadhead, Liam Delap, and Omari Hutchinson all saw their efforts saved, ensuring Brighton remained unscathed. "We controlled the game and defended well," McKenna reflected on his team's performance.
The breakthrough for Brighton came after a tense moment involving Joao Pedro and Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton. Referee Tony Harrington delayed his decision before issuing a yellow card to Pedro after a controversial clash. The VAR review upheld the decision, but there was a consensus that Pedro was fortunate to escape with only a caution.
"He comes too late, yes. He has no bad purpose, he doesn't want to hurt him. I don't see a red card for this challenge." – Fabian Hurzeler
"I've not watched it back. I think he's left a little bit on the goalkeeper. I think he knows what he's doing," – Kieran McKenna
Six minutes after this incident, Kaoru Mitoma seized the opportunity to open Brighton's scoring account. A lapse from Ipswich’s Christian Walton allowed Mitoma’s shot to slip through his hands and into the net, breaking the deadlock and energizing Brighton's play.
Georginio Rutter secured the win for Brighton with a skillful flick from a set-piece situation, doubling the lead and sealing Ipswich's fate. This second goal underscored Brighton's ability to convert set-pieces into scoring opportunities and highlighted Rutter's sharp attacking instincts.
Following the match, Brighton's manager Fabian Hurzeler expressed satisfaction with the win, acknowledging that while it was not their best performance, it was a crucial victory for morale and standings.
"For me it's very important that we focus on and trust the process. We had better performances in the last eight games and we didn't win the games. Today, we played okay, we were solid but it was not the best performance from us." – Fabian Hurzeler
"This win should give us self-confidence and the belief back." – Fabian Hurzeler
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna lamented his team's inability to convert possession into goals, particularly highlighting improvements seen in the second half.
"This was not the first time Joao Pedro has been involved in an incident where his intent is being questioned." – Kieran McKenna
Despite Ipswich's efforts to mount a comeback, notably improving their threat level and field positioning as the match progressed, they were unable to find the back of the net. With this defeat, Ipswich finds itself back in the relegation zone on goal difference, a position that adds pressure on McKenna and his squad as they seek to climb out of danger.
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