The Championship match between Ipswich Town and Southampton ended in a 1-1 draw at Portman Road. Both teams, relegated from the Premier League, scored in the first half.
An own goal by Taylor Harwood-Bellis gave Ipswich an early lead. However, Jay Robinson equalised for Southampton with a header from Ryan Fraser’s cross before the half-hour mark.
In the second half, neither team could find a breakthrough. Ipswich’s Sam Szmodics came close when his powerful shot hit the woodwork. Despite some promising moves, players like Robinson, Conor Chaplin, and Joshua Quarshie were limited to half-chances as both defences held firm.
Both teams struggled to convert their chances into goals. Ipswich recorded an expected goals (xG) of 1.43, while Southampton had 0.84 xG. The teams combined for 25 shots but only managed to hit the target four times throughout the match.
Robinson’s goal was his first professional score for Southampton. Previously, he had failed to find the net despite having an xG of 1.1 against Wrexham on matchday one, which was the highest in the league at that time.
This draw marks only the second time since the 2009-10 season that Ipswich have not won either of their opening two Championship games. The last time this occurred was in the 2018-19 season when they were relegated to League One.
George Hirst had a notable chance for Ipswich but was denied by Gavin Bazunu’s quick reflexes. A brief injury scare involving Szmodics paused play momentarily, but he continued without issue.
The game remained evenly matched as both sides sought to establish themselves as early promotion contenders. Despite their efforts, neither team could secure a decisive advantage in this closely contested encounter.