Ipswich put promotion to the Premier League into their own hands with a 2-2 draw at Southampton.
Jack Clarke’s 87th-minute strike saw Ipswich snatch a vital point to put automatic promotion in their own hands on the final day of the season, with them just needing to beat QPR to secure an instant return back to the Premier League although a draw or defeat would be enough if results elsewhere go in their favour.
Wes Burns initially fired Ipswich into a 48th-minute lead from Ivan Azon’s pass before Ryan Manning equalised with a deflected 58th-minute free-kick.
Cyle Larin seemingly completed the Saints’ comeback with a 80th-minute strike but Clarke’s equaliser ended their automatic promotion dreams, as they sit fifth in the table whilst Ipswich remained second.
Ipswich manager, Kieran McKenna post match praised both teams for giving their managers and fans a great match in an interview with Sky Sports, as he credited his team for their gutsy display.
“I thought it was an outstanding game, one of the best certainly in my time here, certainly in the Championship.
“I loved our performance to be honest. To do that at this stage of the season here with form they’re in, I think is a great sign for where we’re at as a group.
“You probably can’t come much closer to getting promoted than we were at the end, it was a matter of inches from the ball going in the net, but I loved where were at and I looking forward to Saturday now.”
Knowing that only a win would keep their automatic promotion dreams alive, Southampton were given an early scare just four minutes in as Daniel Peretz blocked Jaden Philogene’s shot in a lively start to the match, whilst Larin curled over for the Saints in the 13th minute.
Southampton however almost took a 21st-minute lead after Leo Scienza was fouled by Azor Matusiwa, but Larin’s header from the consequential free-kick was saved by Christian Walton.
Burns then fired wide twice for Ipswich in the space of four minutes, albeit either side of Peretz’s save of a low shot by Philogene who had met Azon’s flicked pass, as neither team broke the deadlock before half time.
There was no let-up in the second half as Larin forced Walton to tip his scissor-kick shot over the bar just 46 seconds into the restart.
Ipswich however found the breakthrough goal just two minutes later after Jacob Greaves intercepted Tom Fellows, which allowed him to tee up Azon to flick the ball on for Burns to smash in beyond Peretz’s reach.
Greaves however was lucky to not be red carded for a reckless slide into Finn Azaz in the 56th minute, but Ipswich were caught out by the consequential free-kick as Manning curled his effort low through the wall and in via a deflection to restore parity.
Both teams subsequently went end-to-end as Burns fired wide for Ipswich, before Scienza and Shea Charles put shots over the bar from distance.
Southampton eventually snatched the lead to complete their comeback from a move started in their own half by Azaz whose pass was fed forward for Manning, which allowed the left-back to play a diagonal pass towards Larin and the Canadian side-stepped two defenders to slot past Walton into the left corner.
Their lead however proved short-lived of just seven minutes as a corner was scruffily cleared and led to ping-pong heading around the box, which fell for Clarke to rifle into the far-bottom right corner from the edge of the box.
Ipswich frantically chased a winner to all but mathematically secure promotion as Darnell Furlong nodded wide a minute later, before Clarke’s 90th-minute shot deflected off the post and a Southampton player to roll behind.
Neither team found a late winner which meant that the Saints are guaranteed to be in the play-offs, whilst Ipswich simply need to defeat QPR to secure promotion.
A draw or defeat however would be enough for McKenna’s Tractor Boys if Millwall fail to win at home to relegated Oxford United, but Middlesbrough can snatch automatic promotion if they win at Wrexham and Ipswich lose coupled with a draw or loss for Millwall.
What’s Next?
Southampton conclude their season away at Preston North End on Saturday 2 May at 12:30pm BST.
Ipswich meanwhile host QPR at Portman Road on the above date and time, with all 12 Championship matches kicking off simultaneously on the final day of the season.
Teams
Southampton: Daniel Peretz, James Bree, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood, Ryan Manning, Shea Charles, Caspar Jander, Tom Fellows (Edozie 69′), Finn Azaz, Leo Scienza, Cyle Larin (Stewart 81′)
Substitutes: Cameron Archer, Cam Bragg, Samuel Edozie, Elias Jelert, George Long, Joshua Quarshie, Oriol Romeu, Welington, Ross Stewart
Ipswich: Christian Walton, Darnell Furlong, Dara O’Shea, Jacob Greaves, Leif Davis, Azor Matusiwa (Akpom 82′), Dan Neil, Wes Burns (McAteer 67′), Marcelino Nunez (Cajuste 75′), Jaden Philogene (Clarke 67′), Ivan Azon (Hirst 75′)
Substitutes: Chuba Akpom, Jens Cajuste, Jack Clarke, George Hirst, Ben Johnson, Cedric Kipre, Kasey McAteer, Anis Mehmeti, Alex Palmer
Referee – Thomas Kirk
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