Jack Clarke comes off the bench at Portman Road and beats the club he used to score for
Two Sunderland giveaways, two Ipswich goals. Emersonn punished the first, Jack Clarke — a Sunderland player not long ago — punished the second at 90. Gary O'Neil starts his Ipswich tenure with three points and seven new signings in the XI.
Sunderland had 62.5% of the ball at Portman Road and gave away the two moments that decided the game. In the Premier League, that is usually the whole story.
Emersonn — one of seven new signings in Gary O'Neil's starting eleven — opened the scoring at 24 after an error by Luke O'Nien. Nilson Angulo levelled it just before the break with a superb free-kick, and for an hour it looked like the visitors would be the ones to take something home.
Then, at 90, Omar Alderete gave the ball away in exactly the place you must not. Jack Clarke, on from the bench, took it and finished. Clarke used to score these for Sunderland. On Saturday he scored one against them.
A rebuilt side, and it showed both ways
Seven debutants in a Premier League opener is a lot of new relationships to work out in ninety minutes, and Ipswich spent much of the afternoon without the ball because of it — 258 accurate passes to Sunderland's 484.
But the shot quality was all theirs. An expected goals figure of 1.74 against 0.76 from fewer attempts says Ipswich got into better positions with what little they had. Sunderland's three yellow cards, against Ipswich's none, hint at where the frustration went.
Match facts
- 24' — Emersonn (Ipswich Town), after an error by Luke O'Nien
- 39' — Nilson Angulo (Sunderland), free-kick
- 90' — Jack Clarke (Ipswich Town), after a giveaway by Omar Alderete
- Seven new signings started for Ipswich under Gary O'Neil
| Stat | Ipswich Town | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 37.5% | 62.5% |
| Total shots | 10 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 4 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.74 | 0.76 |
| Accurate passes | 258 (79%) | 484 (88%) |
| Corners | 3 | 5 |
| Fouls conceded | 12 | 14 |
| Offsides | 1 | 4 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 3 |
How it unfolded
O'Nien's error at 24 handed Emersonn the opener and Portman Road a first Premier League goal to celebrate since going back up. Angulo's free-kick at 39 was the best strike of the afternoon and deserved to be worth more than it was.
Sunderland kept the ball for most of the second half without ever looking like scoring with it. Alderete's giveaway at 90 was the only invitation Clarke needed, and Ipswich's return to the division started with three points instead of one.
What's next
Ipswich go to Manchester United on Sunday 30 August — a United side that has just been beaten at home by promoted Hull City and will be in no mood for a second surprise. Sunderland host Fulham the same day, needing to turn possession into something that counts.
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