Report: Blues 2-2 Ipswich Town
Blues drew against Ipswich Town in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon. Wayne Rooney’s side soared into an early lead inside the first quarter of an hour at St. Andrew's, with Jay Stansfield firing in from close range.
This advantage was extended soon after half-time when a Juninho Bacuna cross into the visitor's box took a deflection off Cameron Burgess and went into the defender’s own net. However, a late double from substitute Marcus Harness saw the points shared in B9.
Team news:
The Manager made four changes from the line-up that started against Southampton a week ago. Ethan Laird, making his return after being sidelined with a hamstring injury since August, Bacuna, Stansfield and Koji Miyoshi came into the XI, with Emmanuel Longelo, Krystian Bielik, Siriki Dembele and Lukas Jutkiewicz starting on the bench.
Match action:
Blues showed signs of attacking intent from the off, with Miyoshi linking up well with the overlapping Laird, whose cross looked to have deflected behind for a corner only for referee Leigh Doughty to point the opposite way. Rooney’s side continued to find joy down the wings, though, and Bacuna looked to raise the roof and cut inside before unleashing an effort that was deflected behind for a corner.
This high-intensity play was rewarded after 13 minutes, Bacuna again found an avenue down the left ahead diverting inside and shooting. His attempt was intercepted by Stansfield who controlled and pivoted well to fire the hosts into a deserved lead.
They continued to pen the visitors inside their final third. Laird again warranting his inclusion found space down the flank before being brought down in a good position. Miyoshi whipped in from the right and almost saw it nestle inside Ipswich's near post. In the following passage of play, Bacuna won the appreciation of the home support thanks to a delightful touch to control a loose ball.
Nathan Broadhead looked to level the clash on 25 minutes, catching the sweet spot on a volley, but his attempt sailed over the upright. A resilient and assured Blues defence performed in sync to extinguish a growing Town threat as half-time loomed, with Captain, Dion Sanderson, organising his backline to clear any danger with confidence.
Birmingham City formed the final attack of the period through an effective hold-up by Oliver Burke, who turned and timed his through-ball well, setting free Bacuna to run through clear on goal, but Kieran McKenna’s defence tracked back to force the ball behind.
Half-time: Blues 1-0 Ipswich Town
The heavens opened over St. Andrew's in time for the second-half but that failed to hold back the home side. They were quick to double their lead after returning to the field, Burke drove forward at a back-footed Luke Woolfenden before laying it off to the ever-willing overlapping Bacuna. The Curacao international drilled in a low cross, which was deflected goalwards off Burgess who could only watch in dismay as the ball passed Hladky’s outstretched glove after 51 minutes.
Burke twice found himself through one-on-one with the stopper inside the hour mark, with the Ipswich 'keeper quick off his line to disrupt the attack on both occasions. At the other end, the Tractor Boys were growing into the game, forcing Ruddy to tip a shot over the bar and from the resulting corner, he palmed away a header from point-blank range.
McKenna looked to his bench for inspiration going into the last 15, making four changes, as Freddie Ladapo, Harness, Jack Taylor and Dane Scarlett were all introduced. Rooney responded by giving Bielik and Dembele the nod to add some fresh legs, replacing the departing Burke and Jordan James.
However, it was the visitor's substitutions that paid off instantly. Harness poked home within a matter of minutes of being on the pitch, to conclude an array of Ipswich attacks and set up a nervy ending.
It looked likely that Rooney’s side would just get over the finish line, but hopes were dashed when Omari Hutchinson found Harness free in the Blues box, and he stepped up again to fire home the equaliser a minute from the end of regulation time.
Seven additional minutes had Blues searching for a late winner, with the visitors seemingly content at just rescuing a point. A late run by Bacuna was a last-chance-saloon for the home side but the 26-year-old’s shot did not find the target.
Blues (4-2-2-2): John Ruddy, Ethan Laird (Emmanuel Longelo 78), Dion Sanderson (Captain), Emmanuel Aiwu, Cody Drameh, Ivan Sunjic, Jordan James (Krystian Bielik 73), Juninho Bacuna, Jay Stanfield (Marc Roberts 84), Oliver Burke (Siriki Dembele), Koji Miyoshi (Lukas Jutkiewicz 84).
Substitutes not used: Neil Etheridge, Scott Hogan, Gary Gardener, Kevin Long.
Bookings: Aiwu 28, Drameh 49, Bielik 82.
Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1): Vaclav Hladky, Harry Clarke, Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess, Leif Davis (Dane Scarlett 72), Sam Morsy (captain), Massimo Luongo (Marcus Harness 72), Omari Hutchinson, Conor Chaplin (Freddie Ladapo 72), Nathan Broadhead (Jack Taylor 74), George Hirst (Cameron Humphreys 87).
Substitutes not used: Christian Walton, Axel Tuanzebe, Dominic Ball, Kayden Jackson.
Bookings: Luongo 25.
Referee: Leigh Doughty.
Attendance: 20,940.
Coming soon:
Blues are back in action when they travel to Sunderland on Saturday 4 November, kick-off 12.30pm, in front of the Sky Sports cameras. Then, following the final Men's international break of 2023, Rooney's men welcome Sheffield Wednesday to St. Andrew's on Saturday 25 November, kick-off 3pm. Tickets for both fixtures can be purchased by clicking here.
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