13 April 2025
Chelsea 2 Ipswich Town 2
Chelsea welcomed Ipswich Town to Stamford Bridge, with both sides desperate for a win for very different reasons. The Blues are in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification which was one of the biggest aims for this season. The Tractor Boys have the more pressing concern of slipping out of the Premier League completely, something which almost looks nailed on at this point.
The hosts started in positive fashion and piled the pressure on Kieran McKenna’s side. Fernandez slotted a pass in between the defenders for Jackson to run onto. The fit-again striker got there first but thundered his shot against the post when he really should have been scoring. It was an early let off for the visitors in the spring sunshine.
Creating chances has not been a problem for Chelsea, despite their poor run of form. What does seem to be the issue is that clinical edge in front of goal. For so long the form of Palmer has carried this side at times but as soon as he drops off, so do Maresca’s side. A cross came into the box to find an unmarked Colwill but his header was straight at Palmer who beat it away.
Cucurella is more than willing to join the attacks and has scored some important goals for The Blues this season. They have been so toothless up top at times that the Spaniard has looked their most potent player in an attacking sense. On this occasion, he ran onto the loose ball but sent his shot into orbit, never going to trouble the Ipswich keeper.
The Tractor Boys had barely been out of their own half in the game when they broke on the counter-attack. Hirst won the ball in the centre of the park before spreading it out wide to Johnson. The pass seemed overhit but the full-back was able to cut it back to Enciso as he slotted past Sanchez to give the visitors an unexpected lead at Stamford Bridge.
As a result of the goal, the visitors started to grow in confidence. Enciso was involved again as he threaded a pass to Cajuste. The midfielder had the time and space to set himself up for a shot but his effort missed the far post by the narrowest of margins. Had it been inches the other way, there was no danger Sanchez was getting anywhere near it.
The home faithful were getting frustrated with what they were seeing on the pitch from their team. Ipswich came forward again and it was played to Enciso in a wide position in the box. He put a teasing curling cross into the back post, where Johnson arrived to head it into the far corner. Stamford Bridge fell silent apart from the away end.
This has been the problem for Maresca’s side for large parts of this season. They dominate possession but do not look to have any ability to penetrate the opposition. Then they get hit with a counter-attack and find themselves behind. It could be what is going to cost them a seat at the table of the Champions League next season.
Immediately after the interval The Blues managed to force their way back into the game. Madueke made light work of skipping past Burgess before driving for the byline. He drilled a low cross in which, at first glance, seemed to be converted by Cucurella. However, the replay shows he completely missed it and it was in fact Tuanzebe who sent the ball into his own net.
McKenna’s side have dropped so many points from winning positions this season, it may well appear on their Premier League headstone. They almost restored their two-goal lead when Hirst cut inside onto his right foot. He struck a superb effort towards the far corner that missed by millimetres. That sums up the luck of the Tractor Boys this campaign.
You felt at this stage that the only way Ipswich were going to win this game was if they continued to score goals. However, they seemed to switch off in defence and the ball was worked to Sancho. With plenty of time and space, he shifted it onto his right foot and bent a sublime shot into the far corner to get Chelsea back onto level terms as Stamford Bridge erupted.
The Blues felt this game was there to be won by this stage. Palmer tried his luck from just outside the box but it took an outstanding fingertip save from Palmer in the Ipswich goal. The namesakes had managed to cancel each other out. The Tractor Boys were clinging on for dear life, willing that final whistle to blow.
Deep into added-time Caicedo picked out Fernandez in the box. He got a shot away from close range but, somehow, Palmer saved it in the visitor’s goal. The Argentine drilled his effort but as the keeper made himself big, he managed to get a hand to it. Kieran McKenna certainly owed him some thanks for single-handedly earning his side a point in the process.
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