Jack Clarke comes off the bench at Portman Road and beats the club he used to score for

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

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.

The month that followed

The three points against Sunderland turned out to be Ipswich's only win in August. Gary O'Neil's side went to Manchester United on 30 August and lost 2-5, then suffered a first home defeat of the season on 4 September, 0-2 to Liverpool. A second win followed away at Crystal Palace on 12 September, 3-2, before a mixed month closed with a 0-1 defeat at Everton on 19 September — Ipswich finishing that game with ten men after a red card for Fatawu. Two wins and three losses from five matches leaves O'Neil's side 11th in the Premier League with six points, seven goals scored and eleven conceded.

Sunderland's response to the opening-day loss was sharper than their current position suggests. Régis Le Bris's side beat Fulham 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on 30 August, then drew 1-1 at Brentford on 5 September through an Enzo Le Fée penalty. The run stalled after that: a 0-2 home defeat to Arsenal on 12 September, in which David Raya saved a second Le Fée spot-kick, and a 5-3 defeat away at Manchester City on 20 September despite a Brian Brobbey hat-trick. One win, one draw and three losses from five games leaves Sunderland 14th on four points — three places and two points behind the side that beat them at Portman Road in August.