Sensational Comeback: Ipswich shocks Sunderland with a 2-1 Victory on Championship Return

Ipswich made a successful return to the Championship by securing a 2-1 win against a 10-player Sunderland. Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst scored the goals for Ipswich. After spending four years in League One, Ipswich gained automatic promotion and made an impressive start in their new division. This victory sends a clear message to Tony Mowbray's side, who suffered defeat in the play-offs back in May.

Jobe Bellingham squandered a valuable opportunity from a short distance for the home team before Nathan Broadhead skillfully netted for the visitors just before half-time. Notably, the former club player chose not to celebrate. Shortly after the intermission, George Hirst confidently struck a second goal, leaving Sunderland incapable of retaliating. Adding to their struggles, Trai Hume received his marching orders after receiving a second yellow card.

How Ipswich surprised Sunderland

Sunderland started off strong, controlling the game in the first 15 minutes. However, it was Ipswich who came closest to scoring first. A fantastic deep cross from Wes Burns on the right found Leif Davis at the back post, whose powerful volley was expertly cleared off the goal-line by Luke O'Nien.

The hosts missed a golden opportunity to take the lead as Pierre Ekwah's powerful 25-yard shot was saved by Hladky. The ball rebounded to Bellingham, who had a clear chance to control it but instead smashed it over the bar without hesitation.

Just before halftime, Sunderland made a strong appeal for a penalty when Jack Clarke made a breakaway run and was brought down by Janoi Donacien. However, the referee ruled it as a handball by Clarke as he fell to the ground.

Ipswich took advantage of the missed opportunity and capitalized on it during injury time. Broadhead scored the opening goal by deflecting Davis' shot past Anthony Patterson.

They extended their lead to two goals within seven minutes after the start of the second half. Broadhead's exceptional pass sent Hirst through, and he skillfully struck the ball high into the net.

Within just one minute, Conor Chaplin attempted a daring shot from the center circle, hitting the crossbar with Patterson unable to stop it. Hirst, under pressure from Dan Ballard, was unable to make contact with the rebound. Following this incident, Sunderland faced difficulties, and Hume received his second booking for fouling Davis. However, the hosts showed signs of improvement towards the end, with Neil successfully converting Dennis Cirkin's low cross into a goal.

The managers

Ipswich's Kieran McKenna was left disappointed as his team, despite having the advantage, showed signs of panic during the additional 13 minutes of play. This was exemplified by substitute Freddie Ladapo missing a good chance, and goalkeeper Hladky coming to the rescue with an impressive save in the 114th minute to deny Neil.

The game was challenging but enjoyable. We immediately noticed the higher level of competition in the first 20 minutes and with a crowd of 40,000 for our first game of the season, it was expected to be difficult. However, I am happy that we persevered and remained committed to our football style. We continuously tried to have possession of the ball and as the first half progressed, we showed improvement.

The beginning of the second half was impressive. The only thing lacking was a third goal. We struck the crossbar, and I believed it deserved a penalty, resulting in a red card.

When we didn't receive that decision, I knew we were in for a challenging 20 minutes. They introduced high-quality substitutes, and we had to defend resolutely. It required our utmost effort to prevent the ball from entering our net, but ultimately, it was a remarkable victory.

"That was a big test and we came through it in a lot of ways."

Sunderland's Tony Mowbray:

We began with great momentum, dominating the game early on. However, they managed to score right before the end of the first half with a fortunate deflected shot. Throughout the match, they consistently posed a threat, having gone undefeated in several League One games. It is clear that they have a well-organized team.

We must accept this setback gracefully. The team's response and the passionate involvement of our fans exemplify the spirit of our club. We ended the game with a strong finish.

"We are displeased with Trai's sending off. With 40 years of experience on the touchline, it will be fascinating to observe the current developments in the world of refereeing.

While this incident did not directly cause our loss in the game, we cannot continue throughout the entire season facing similar situations. There must come a time when things settle down. It seems that referees perceive the spotlight to be on them, resulting in a pressure to make every decision accurately."

The game didn't simply come to an end, which is a positive. Despite my frustrations as someone who strongly dislikes timewasting in this division, the excessive 13-minute added time, coupled with the chaos of three substitutions, cramps, and a head injury, only led to an additional 50 seconds of play. What about the extra time on top of that?

The referees will ultimately resolve all of this, and I empathize with them.

What's next?

Sunderland will face Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday for their Carabao Cup match, commencing at 7.45pm. Following this, the team will resume their Championship campaign as they travel to Preston North End on Saturday, August 12, with kick-off at 3pm.

Similarly, Ipswich is set to host Bristol Rovers on Tuesday in their Carabao Cup clash, scheduled to start at 7.45pm. On Saturday, they will have their first home game back in the Championship against Stoke, commencing at 3pm.