Ipswich Town claimed another point in their quest for Premier League safety but will be left wondering, “What if?” after losing two leads to Fulham in a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Following a huge home upset of Chelsea in Week 19, Kieran McKenna’s men were on pace for back-to-back wins over west London sides with goals from Sammi Szmodics and Liam Delap.
Delap’s goal came from the spot within three minutes of Fulham equalizing via a Raul Jimenez penalty, as an undercard tilt delivered haymakers. But Jimenez won and converted a stoppage-time penalty to secure a point for Marco Silva’s Cottagers.
Fulham stay in ninth place after gaining a 30th point this season, while Ipswich are shy of safety on tiebreakers; The Tractor Boys’ 16 points are behind Wolves on goal differential and one point behind Everton.
A January draw to remember in May
This crazy game feels like two teams dropping two points that may stop them short of their season goals come Week 38. Fulham are in the thick of a nearly unfathomably-deep pool of teams that could play in Europe next season. Say what you will about Manchester United and Tottenham this season, but their resources mean their bottom-half statuses will remain very rare. Fulham have only lost four times this season but have also drawn at home to Ipswich, Bournemouth, Southampton, Everton, and West Ham. Marco Silva’s men should be furious to sit 10th in this season given the above. Ipswich, on the other hand, have played a lot of good football but it feels like they’re racking up so many of the “almost” results that plague eventually relegated sides — the 1-0 home loss to Palace and 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth both should’ve been at least a point. This result, while away from Portman Road, feels like it should’ve been three.
Fulham vs Ipswich Town player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Fulham vs Ipswich Town player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Fulham vs Ipswich Town player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Fulham host Watford on Thursday in the FA Cup before returning to the Premier League with a 2:30pm ET Jan. 14 (Tuesday) visit to West Ham.
Ipswich host Bristol Rovers at 10am Sunday in the FA Cup, then host Brighton at 2:30pm Jan. 16 (Thursday).
How to watch Fulham vs Ipswich live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9am ET Sunday (January 5)
Venue: Craven Cottage — London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Fulham vs Ipswich Town final score: 2-2
Sammi Szmodics 38', Raul Jimenez pen 69', pen 90+1', Liam Delap pen 71'
Fulham vs Ipswich Town live updates
Full time — Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town
Raul Jimenez penalty goal — Fulham 2-2 Ipswich (90+1')
He converts again!
Davis dodges a second yellow card.
Fulham win another penalty
Raul Jimenez is chopped down by Leif Davis!
Liam Delap penalty goal — Fulham 1-2 Ipswich (71st minute)
Clinical penalty from the big man.
Jack Clarke smashes the post
Ipswich nearly make it 3-1 on the counter, as Jack Clarke drives toward the box.
His hard, low, near-post shot pounds the frame.
Ipswich Town penalty!
Madness!
Liam Delap touches past Timothy Castagne and can’t get to the ball as he’s blocked by Castagne.
A little comical from the big striker in how he reacted to the block, but a penalty for sure.
Raul Jimenez penalty goal! Fulham 1-1 Ipswich Town (69th minute)
Jimenez’s stuttering run-up gets Walton moving enough that the Mexican can calmly slot the other way.
We are level.
Fulham penalty shout
Harry Wilson is livid, jabbing his finger at referee Darren Bond who did not award a penalty for Sam Morsy’s cleat to the calf of the Welshman.
Paul Tierney is VAR and he wants bonds to have a look at the possible foul.
Penalty!
Half-hour left and Cottagers no closer
Still a side in control of the ball, but Ipswich are doing a real job in their own third.
A 62nd-minute free kick from two yards outside the left corner of the 18 is handled by Ipswich, and Fulham reload again.
Smith Rowe now meets a cross from the other side of that box and cannot turn it near the frame.
Alex Iwobi and Tom Cairney exit for Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz.
1-0 Ipswich, 64'.
Fulham sub
Issa Diop comes off for Emile Smith Rowe, as the Cottagers appear to be dropping right wing back Timothy Castagne to right center back in their hunt for an equalizer.
Halftime — Fulham 0-1 Ipswich Town
Say you watched the first half-hour and saw this coming and we will declare you a liar of the highest order or a very cynical Cottager.
Shots are 8-2 for the hosts, who’ve held 73% of the ball. Ipswich have completed just 118 passes to Fulham’s 332.
Whatever, say Kieran McKenna’s men. They’re 45 minutes from back-to-back Premier League wins.
Sammi Szmodics goal! Fulham 0-1 Ipswich Town (38th minute)
As my PST partner Andy Edwards just said in the group chat, this is the definition of “against the run of play.”
A hopeful cross is nodded off the crossbar, and Fulham defender Calvin Bassey bungles his clearing attempt.
Sammi Szmodics is right there and doesn’t need an invitation to finish, as Ipswich lead 1-0 off 30% possession and their first shot attempt(s).
Red card shout!
Harry Wilson is dropped by Leif Davis on his way toward goal, but was it denial of a goal scoring opportunity?
It looks like Dara O’Shea would’ve won the ball, as Wilson had a heavy touch.
Yellow card to Davis. Free kick to Fulham, about 30 yards from goal.
0-0, 28'.
Cottagers assert control
This is good stuff from Fulham.
Raul Jimenez heads a cross on goal, parried away by acrobatic Ipswich keeper Christian Walton.
Fulham reload and this time Alex Iwobi’s eyebrow-raising dribble into the box turns into a deflected shot out of play.
Would he have been better served to find Harry Wilson near the spot?
Possession is 74% to the Cottagers.
0-0, 24'.
Not a bad watch
Both Ipswich and Fulham came out of the traps prepared to play with pace.
Fulham’s a level up in talent, that’s clear, but there’s a bit of bite and plenty of energy from both sides at Craven Cottage.
Fulham lineup
Leno, Castagne, Diop, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Lukic, Cairney, Wilson, Jimenez, Iwobi
Ipswich Town lineup
Walton, Johnson, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Szmodics, Broadhead, Delap
Fulham vs Ipswich Town preview
Ipswich (18th - 15 points) picked up their first home win in the Premier League in nearly 23 years on Monday, as they added to Chelsea’s misery with a 2-0 upset at Portman Road. The victory moved them to within one point of safety — Wolves, who will be without star striker Matheus Cunha when they face 3rd-place Nottingham Forest on Monday, sit 17th after picking up two wins and a draw to start Vitor Pereira’s tenure at Molineux. Liam Delap has been so fantastic (7 goals, 2 assists) for the newly promoted side that there are already transfer rumors linking him to various other PL clubs despite the fact he only signed in the summer. The 21-year-old joined from Manchester City for $26 million and has a contract until 2029. Don’t go assuming that the Tractor Boys are getting relegated and Delap is skipping town just yet, as two of their three wins have come in their last four games — a side brand new to the league, getting more comfortable after half of a season at the highest level.
Speaking of getting comfortable, Fulham (8th - 29 points) are comfortably in the top half of the table and eyeing European qualification as they kick off 2025. Marco Silva’s side hasn’t been beaten in their last seven league games, even if they can’t hold a late lead and only won two of them. No side in the Premier League has dropped more points (19) from a winning position this season, and it cost them two more points in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last time out. USMNT left back Antonee Robinson leads the Cottagers with 7 assists (3rd-most in the PL) and was nominated for PL Player of the Month for December.
Fulham team news, focus
OUT: Harrison Reed (knee), Reiss Nelson (hamstring). Kenny Tete (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Sander Berge (ankle)
Ipswich team news, focus
OUT: Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring), George Hirst (knee), Janoi Donacien (groin), Chiedozie Ogbene (achilles - out for season), Conor Chaplin (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Massimo Luongo (illness)
Fulham vs Ipswich prediction
The fixture list is brutal for Ipswich over the next eight games, which places a bit more urgency on getting a result (or more) in this one. Delap to send the rumor mill into overdrive. Fulham 1-2 Ipswich.
