Sky Bet Championship
Ipswich Town 3 (Rodon og 7’, Broadhead 45’, Chaplin 90’)
Leeds United 4 (Rutter 10’, Gnonto 14’, Piroe 19’, Sinisterra 75’)
Ipswich: Hladky (GK), Clarke (Williams 73’), Davis, Morsy (C), Woolfenden, Burns (Harness 84’), Chaplin, Burgess, Jackson (Ladapo 73’), Luongo (Taylor 84’), Broadhead (Hutchinson 73’). Subs not used: Slicker (GK), Edmundson, Evans, Ball.
Leeds: Meslier (GK), Ayling (C) (Cresswell 90’), Ampadu, Piroe (Gyabi 90’) Rodon, Struijk, Gray, Sinisterra (Gelhardt 85’), Rutter, Byram (Drameh 25’(Shackleton 45’)), Gnonto. Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Summerville, Greenwood, Hjelde.
Venue: Portman Road
Attendance: 29,606 (2,008 away)
Referee: Bobby Madley
Booked: Morsy, Luongo, Woolfenden (Ipswich) Shackleton, Meslier, Ayling (Leeds)
Leeds United travelled away from home on Saturday afternoon, to face the early Sky Bet Championship leaders Ipswich Town in a thrilling end-to-end encounter.
Coming into the match, Kieran McKenna’s Blues had won three out of three in the league, whilst also backing that up with a Carabao Cup win to show an impressive start to the season following their promotion from League One.
Daniel Farke’s side were looking for their first win of the campaign in the league. Two draws came either side of a loss prior to the trip to Suffolk, but the Whites had tasted a win in the Cup against Shrewsbury Town on home turf.
The early team news saw a debut given to new signing Joel Piroe. The prolific forward at this level signed on a permanent deal from Swansea City earlier in the week and was given an instant chance to impress by starting the match.
Joining the new striker in attack were recalled duo Luis Sinisterra and Willy Gnonto, who were also given a place in the starting line-up at Portman Road.
In a packed out stadium and the atmosphere electric in all areas, it was the home side who took an early lead in the game. Kayden Jackson broke free on the left and despite plenty of offside appeals play was waved on. He cut inside and drilled a low ball across the box, which Joe Rodon was unfortunate to turn into his own goal.
Leeds hit back quickly though and in style. Georginio Rutter went on a magnificent solo run after collecting Luke Ayling’s chipped pass, before twisting and turning around all who looked to stop him, then sliding the ball into the back of the net off the post.
In a frantic opening in East Anglia, the Whites would then score a second. Sam Byram worked space on the left-wing and superbly crossed to the back post, where Gnonto slipped his marker to tuck home.
Just five minutes later, Piroe was in on the action and would make it three! Much was owed to the work of Sinisterra in the build up as he worked space and shot at goal, seeing his effort palmed out to the debutant to fire home at close range.
Further chances would come at both ends as each side favoured attacking throughout. Leeds were forced into a change through one piece of defending, as Byram fell awkwardly when blocked a shot and had to be replaced by Drameh.
When into the latter part of six minutes added time, the home side would reduce the deficit going into the break. Jackson again was the creator for the Tractor boys, picking up a loose pass before pulling the ball back to Nathan Broadhead who struck home from the edge of the box.
A pulsating 45 minutes was then brought to a close with Leeds a goal up against their league-leading opponents.
HALF TIME: Ipswich Town 2-3 Leeds United
Farke made another switch at the interval. Having come on midway through the opening half, Drameh was replaced by Jamie Shackleton for the second.
The first opening after the restart took around 15 minutes to come and was well worked by the home side. Having netted on the stroke of half-time, it was Broadhead who created the chance himself, before seeing Rodon fly in to block it.
From the resulting corner the ball was played to Harry Clarke just outside the area and he curled just wide, before Piroe raced through at the other end and forced a good save from Vaclav Hladky.
The same combination would then face one another again with 20 minutes remaining. Sinisterra played Piroe into the box and he struck well left-footed, only to see the Ipswich ‘keeper make another excellent save.
With 15 minutes remaining, Leeds found the net again! Great build up from Shackleton found Sinisterra in space and the winger did the rest, cutting onto his right foot before producing an excellent finish to make it four!
With their unbeaten record to protect, the hosts kept pressing forward and Illan Meslier still had work to do. Both fresh off the bench, Jack Taylor and Omari Hutchinson struck powerful efforts, from which the ‘keeper pushed each of them away from goal.
In the final seconds of added time, Conor Chaplin struck low from the edge of the box and found the bottom corner to pull the home side within one.
However, there was no further time remaining and Farke’s side were able to hold on, claiming an important and fully deserved first three points of the season.
FULL TIME: Ipswich Town 3-4 Leeds United