Liam Delap’s outstanding performance led Ipswich Town to a remarkable 2-0 victory over Chelsea, marking their first Premier League home win in 22 years. This victory dealt a significant blow to Chelsea’s title hopes.
Ahead of the match, Delap had been predicted for an England debut by his former Manchester City Under-23s coach, Enzo Maresca. Delap lived up to the hype, playing a key role in this historic win at a lively Portman Road.
The breakthrough came early when Delap earned a controversial penalty, which he confidently converted in the 12th minute after minimal contact from Chelsea’s backup goalkeeper, Filip Jorgensen. This early lead set the tone for Kieran McKenna’s team.
Chelsea’s Joao Felix thought he had equalized in the 24th minute, but his goal was ruled out for offside. Ipswich then doubled their lead right after halftime, capitalizing on a mistake by Chelsea’s Axel Disasi. Omari Hutchinson seized the opportunity, securing Ipswich’s first home win in the Premier League since 2002 and extending Chelsea’s winless streak to three games.
Maresca made several changes following Chelsea’s unexpected loss to Fulham, including recalling Noni Madueke and giving Jorgensen a rare start. Despite a recent winning streak against other newly-promoted teams, Chelsea struggled against Ipswich. Delap’s physicality was evident early on, unsettling Chelsea’s defense.
Delap’s penalty, his seventh goal of the season, was a result of racing onto Leif Davis’ precise pass. Although his momentum caused him to fall, the slight contact from Jorgensen led to the referee awarding the spot-kick. Delap’s composed finish into the bottom corner gave Ipswich the lead.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer nearly equalized with a free-kick that hit the post, and Christian Walton, making only his second league appearance, denied Christopher Nkunku’s follow-up. Felix’s disallowed goal, due to offside, was a turning point, celebrated by the home crowd.
The second half saw Chelsea applying pressure, with Felix’s header cleared off the line and Walton saving Madueke’s low shot. However, Ipswich received a gift when Disasi’s careless pass was intercepted by Delap, who set up Hutchinson for the second goal. Hutchinson’s strike against his former club sealed the victory.
Maresca responded with substitutions, including Nicolas Jackson and Jadon Sancho, but Chelsea couldn’t break through Ipswich’s defense. Despite introducing Pedro Neto, Chelsea failed to find the net, allowing Ipswich to end 2024 with a memorable and eagerly-awaited first top-flight victory of the season.
