.png)
4 hours ago
2
Brentford’s pursuit of a first-ever European qualification gained strength as they beat Ipswich 1-0 at Portman Road to make it four Premier League wins in succession. Kevin Schade headed the game’s only goal from a corner in the 18th minute to give his side a lead they rarely looked like relinquishing. A late Ipswich rally, during which Omari Hutchinson hit a post and Mark Flekken produced an outstanding save to deny Cameron Burgess, proved in vain.
The form of Thomas Frank’s side, together with favourable remaining fixtures as well as the defeat for Fulham at home to Everton, leaves the chance of an eighth-place finish and with it a possible spot in the Conference League tantalisingly within reach. The four-team tussle for eighth may yet go to the final day, by which time the number of European places via the league, which hinges on the outcome of the FA Cup final, will be known.
Kieran McKenna’s side are left with one chance to add to their solitary home league win this season, and whatever inquest lies ahead into their relegation must surely begin with the fact they have netted only 13 times in front of their own fans.
The winning goal came early and was the only highlight of a poor first half. Bryan Mbeumo’s near-post corner was met just inside the six-yard box by Schade, who rose and angled a brilliant looping header over his own shoulder and high beyond the reach of Dara O’Shea’s attempt to head clear.
Ipswich v Brentford match facts
Show● Brentford have won four consecutive games in the top flight of English football for the first time since February-March 1939 (5) and have amassed 16 wins overall from their 36 games this season (D7 L13), their joint-most at this stage of a top-flight season, alongside 1936-37 and 1937-38.
● Mark Flekken saved all four of Ipswich’s shots on target today; he has faced the most shots on target of any goalkeeper in the Premier League overall this season (192), however, just 26.6% of them have resulted in goals conceded, the best rate of any goalkeeper this term (minimum 30 shots on target faced).
● Bryan Mbeumo’s assist for Kevin Schade’s winner was his 25th goal involvement in the Premier League this season (18 goals, 7 assists), the most by a Brentford player in a single campaign in the competition, overtaking Ivan Toney’s 24 in 2022-23 (20 goals, 4 assists).
● Ipswich have lost each of their past eight Premier League games at Portman Road, their longest-ever home losing run in any division and have lost 13 home games in total this season, their joint-most in a single campaign (also 13 in 1994-95).
Jack Taylor fired a shot wide from distance for Ipswich after good work on the left from Julio Enciso. It was the extent of the threat the home side made on Flekken’s goal in the first half. Brentford came within a yard of doubling their lead on the stroke of the interval, Mikkel Damsgaard dragging his first-time effort just beyond a post.
McKenna will shortly have time to reflect on what positives there are to be drawn from his team’s disappointingly brief stay in the top flight. Chief among them surely will be the performances of the goalkeeper Alex Palmer, signed in January from West Brom, who has looked every bit at home in the division. He added to his highlights reel of impressive saves early in the second half, getting down low to turn away Yoane Wissa’s poked effort, then again to beat away Mbeumo’s attempt at his near post.
after newsletter promotion
Ipswich came close to collecting just their eighth home point of the campaign late on. Hutchinson crashed a shot against the near post from a good position then Flekken produced stunning reflexes to turn away Burgess’s volley.
