Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town: Raul Jimenez Scores Twice from the Spot to Rescue Point in Dramatic Draw

Raul Jimenez’s two penalty conversions in stoppage time salvaged a point for Fulham against Ipswich in a thrilling encounter that saw three penalties awarded in a dramatic second half.

Despite dominating possession, they found themselves trailing at the break after Sammie Szmodics opened the scoring for Ipswich. The goal came when wing-back Ben Johnson’s header came back off the bar, and Szmodics was in the right place to fire home the rebound.

The game exploded into life after the interval, with Jimenez’s first penalty drawing Fulham level. Referee Darren Bond initially dismissed their appeal after Harry Wilson was tripped by Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, but after consulting the VAR, he overturned his decision and awarded the penalty. Jimenez stepped up and confidently converted to make it 1-1.

However, just 21 seconds into the restart, they were back on the back foot when defender Timothy Castagne, attempting to clear the ball, caught Ipswich striker Liam Delap with a high boot. Bond had no hesitation in awarding another penalty to the visitors. Delap made no mistake, striking a powerful shot past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno to put Ipswich back in front with his eighth goal of the season.

Fulham came close to conceding a third when Jack Clarke’s low drive rattled the post, but in a dramatic twist, Fulham surged down the other end. Jimenez was brought down by Ipswich’s Leif Davis inside the penalty area, and the Mexican striker, unflustered by the pressure, calmly slotted his second penalty into the top corner to level the game at 2-2.

With Fulham’s unbeaten league run stretching to eight matches, they remained in ninth place in the Premier League, while Ipswich stayed in 18th, still level on points with Wolves, who sit just above them in the table.

Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town

However, despite the two penalties awarded to Fulham at Craven Cottage, manager Marco Silva was far from satisfied with referee Bond’s decisions throughout the match. Much of his frustration stemmed from a contentious call in the first half when Wilson broke free on goal and was brought down by Davis. Bond judged that there were enough defenders in the vicinity to cover, deeming that Davis was not the last man, and consequently showed him only a yellow card. Silva and the Fulham bench were left seething, feeling that the decision should have been a red.

Things did not improve for Fulham when Ipswich took the lead through Szmodics’ deflected shot. The effort came after a poor clearance from Fulham’s Calvin Bassey, which ricocheted off him and into the path of Szmodics, who fired home the opening goal.

The match also saw missed chances for Fulham, including a golden opportunity for substitute Emile Smith Rowe. The former Arsenal man failed to convert a header from a precise cross by Alex Iwobi, sending it wide when he should have done better.

Silva’s discontent continued as the match progressed. After the penalty decision against Ipswich was confirmed following the VAR consultation, Silva was issued a yellow card for his ongoing protests. Yet Jimenez’s composed penalty ensured that Fulham came away with a point.

The final penalty award, which put them back on level terms, was not as controversial as some of the earlier decisions, but it came just moments after Ipswich had retaken the lead, further adding to the tension. Even after Jimenez’s second strike, Silva was likely dissatisfied, as the game had unfolded in a way that didn’t fully reflect the dominance Fulham had in terms of possession and overall control.

Despite the thrilling finale, Silva’s mood was unlikely to have been entirely lifted by the result. The referee’s inconsistent decisions and the mistakes made at the back had left a sour taste for the Fulham manager, even though his team secured a valuable point. As they continue their unbeaten run, Silva will likely continue to focus on tightening up his side’s defense and improving their clinical edge in future matches.

source – BBC

The post Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town: Raul Jimenez Scores Twice from the Spot to Rescue Point in Dramatic Draw appeared first on News365.co.za.