Match ends, Ipswich Town 2, Fulham 1.
IpswichIpswich Town2FulhamFulham1
An inexperienced Fulham side began their Championship campaign poorly as they were beaten by Ipswich Town.
The Cottagers, relegated last season after 13 years in the Premier League, included eight debutants in their team.
Ipswich's Daryl Murphy collected Luke Hyam's pass to fire past Jesse Joronen, before David McGoldrick added a second goal with a low shot from 18 yards out.
Tim Hoogland's deflected late strike gave Fulham hope of snatching a draw, but the hosts held on for the victory.
It was a hugely disappointing day for Fulham, playing their first game in the second tier of English football since May 2001.
Only captain Scott Parker started from Felix Magath's side that began their last Premier League match and the German boss handed a full debut to Ross McCormack.
But the Scottish striker, who moved to Fulham in an £11m transfer from Leeds United, saw little of the ball, failed to create any chances and was replaced after 57 minutes.
| Did you know? |
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| Fulham's last victory against Ipswich came on 26 December, 1963, when they won 10-1 at Craven Cottage. It remains Fulham's best win and Ipswich's joint-heaviest defeat. |
The London side offered little until the last 15 minutes when, trailing 2-0, they brought on England Under-17 striker Patrick Roberts.
He produced a lively cameo, taking on and beating his opponent regularly, before playing a part in Hoogland's goal, although the defender's strike needed a deflection off Tommy Smith to take the ball past Dean Gerken.
Despite some late pressure, Mick McCarthy's Ipswich side, who finished four points adrift of the play-offs in 2013-14, claimed the three points.
They had made a bright start as Christophe Berra had a header tipped over by Joronen and Cole Skuse twice fired narrowly off target.
However, Moussa Dembele should have put Fulham ahead when Gerken fumbled Chris David's shot, but the Ipswich goalkeeper managed to recover to block the follow-up attempt. That miss proved crucial as Ipswich took a 32nd-minute lead.
Ex-England international Parker lost possession to Hyam and he released Murphy, who outpaced Shaun Hutchinson and finished past Joronen to put Town in front.
Ipswich doubled their lead after 61 minutes when Murphy's low cross fell to substitute McGoldrick and the forward, making his first appearance since February after a knee injury, scored his side's second.
That proved to be the decisive goal as the Suffolk side began their 13th successive season in English football's second tier with a win.
Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy:
"It was a nervy end but I thought we deserved the win overall. Gerks (goakeeper Dean Gerken) has not had much to do and, while we didn't have a lot of the ball in the first half, we scored a good opener on the break.
"We are a better team with David McGoldrick in it. The fact he is now back is all down to his diligence and professionalism to get himself fit.
"He has worked really hard and was desperate to get back playing - and it was lovely to have him back."
Fulham manager Felix Magath:
"A lot of our young players are just out of the academy and they are not used to being tackled in that way.
"We knew before it was going to be a very tough match and the referee didn't have his best day."
Line-ups
Ipswich
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Gerken
- 4Chambers
- 3MingsBooked at 81mins
- 19HyamBooked at 37minsSubstituted forBruat 82'minutes
- 6BerraBooked at 87mins
- 5Smith
- 21Hewitt
- 8SkuseSubstituted forWordsworthat 70'minutes
- 14BajnerSubstituted forMcGoldrickat 44'minutes
- 9Murphy
- 18Tabb
Substitutes
- 10McGoldrick
- 17Bru
- 22Wordsworth
- 23Henshall
- 33Bialkowski
- 34Marriott
- 35Nouble
Fulham
Formation 4-1-2-1-2
- 41Joronen
- 2Hoogland
- 3Stafylidis
- 38Burgess
- 6Bodurov
- 4HutchinsonSubstituted forRobertsat 74'minutes
- 8Parker
- 30DavidSubstituted forEisfeldat 45'minutes
- 44McCormackSubstituted forWoodrowat 57'minutes
- 25Dembele
- 28Hyndman
Substitutes
- 7Eisfeld
- 14Roberts
- 16Woodrow
- 20Rodallega
- 26Fotheringham
- 33Burn
- 40Bettinelli
- Referee:
- Steve Martin
- Attendance:
- 17,218
Match Stats
Home TeamIpswichAway TeamFulham
- Possession
- Home34%
- Away66%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 2, Fulham 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Moussa Dembele (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Thomas Eisfeld with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Tommy Smith.
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Attempt blocked. Tim Hoogland (Fulham) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Thomas Eisfeld with a cross.
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Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Christophe Berra.
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Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cauley Woodrow.
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Attempt missed. Patrick Roberts (Fulham) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Thomas Eisfeld.
Booking
Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Cauley Woodrow (Fulham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town).
Goal!
Goal! Ipswich Town 2, Fulham 1. Tim Hoogland (Fulham) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Post update
Attempt saved. David McGoldrick (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Anthony Wordsworth.
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Foul by Patrick Roberts (Fulham).
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Jay Tabb (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Nikolay Bodurov.
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Attempt blocked. Cauley Woodrow (Fulham) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Konstantinos Stafylidis with a cross.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Kevin Bru replaces Luke Hyam because of an injury.
Post update
Delay in match Luke Hyam (Ipswich Town) because of an injury.
