Premier League Gameweek 1
Ipswich 2 - 1 FT Sunderland
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
24' Emersonn (J. Enciso)
D. Ballard 36'
N. Angulo 39'
HT
N. Angulo 55'
↓ N. Angulo ↑C. Talbi 59'
L. O'Nien 63'
66' ↓ Emersonn ↑C. Akpom
66' ↓ I. Fatawu ↑K. McAteer
↓ L. O'Nien ↑O. Alderete 67'
↓ B. Brobbey ↑W. Isidor 67'
71' ↓ J. Enciso ↑J. Clarke
↓ E. Le Fee ↑H. Diarra 80'
↓ T. Hume ↑C. Rigg 80'
80' ↓ M. Nunez ↑S. W. Egeli
80' ↓ D. Maeda ↑A. Ouattara
90' J. Clarke (S. Lukic)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Ipswich
Goalkeepers
Kjell Scherpen 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Dara O'Shea 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
13%
Pass Acc
Issa Diop
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jacob Greaves 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
88%
Duel Win %
Leif Davis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Marcelino Nunez
LATE SHIFT
10
Late Mins
10
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
80
Entry
Saša Lukić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abdul Fatawu 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
9
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Julio Enciso 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.6
Rating
Daizen Maeda
LATE SHIFT
10
Late Mins
10
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
80
Entry
Forwards
Emersonn 
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
3
Shots
7.9
Rating
BENCH
Christian Walton 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Darnell Furlong
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cedric Kipre
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abdoul Ouattara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cameron Humphreys
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kasey McAteer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sindre Walle Egeli
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jack Clarke 
CLUTCH HERO
90
Goal Time
90
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
0
Rating
Chuba Akpom
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sunderland
Goalkeepers
Robin Roefs
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
2
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Thomas Meunier
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daniel Ballard
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luke O'Nien
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
67
Entry
Reinildo
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
36%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Noah Sadiki
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
8
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Granit Xhaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Trai Hume
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
13%
Pass Acc
Enzo Le Fée
LATE SHIFT
10
Late Mins
10
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
80
Entry
Nilson Angulo 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Forwards
Brian Brobbey
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
67
Entry
BENCH
Melker Ellborg
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Omar Alderete
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nordi Mukiele
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christopher Rigg
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Habib Diarra
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chemsdine Talbi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jocelin Ta Bi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Romaine Mundle
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wilson Isidor
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/13/2024 | Ipswich | 2 - 1 | Sunderland | Championship | Portman Road |
| 08/06/2023 | Sunderland | 1 - 2 | Ipswich | Championship | Stadium of Light |
| 12/18/2021 | Ipswich | 1 - 1 | Sunderland | League One | Portman Road |
| 11/20/2021 | Sunderland | 2 - 0 | Ipswich | League One | Stadium of Light |
| 01/26/2021 | Ipswich | 0 - 1 | Sunderland | League One | Portman Road |
| 11/03/2020 | Sunderland | 2 - 1 | Ipswich | League One | Stadium of Light |
| 02/08/2020 | Sunderland | 1 - 0 | Ipswich | League One | Stadium of Light |
| 08/10/2019 | Ipswich | 1 - 1 | Sunderland | League One | Portman Road |
| 02/03/2018 | Sunderland | 0 - 2 | Ipswich | Championship | Stadium of Light |
| 09/26/2017 | Ipswich | 5 - 2 | Sunderland | Championship | Portman Road Stadium |
01/13/2024
08/06/2023
12/18/2021
11/20/2021
01/26/2021
11/03/2020
02/08/2020
08/10/2019
02/03/2018
09/26/2017
Ipswich Win
Sunderland Win
Draw
League Standings
League Standings
P: 5 GD: +8
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +11
P: 5 GD: +6
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -1
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -9
P: 5 GD: -3
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Ipswich
Sunderland
Ipswich
Sunderland
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Portman Road Erupts as Clarke Steals the Show
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 64/100. A stunning 90th-minute decider flipped the script, punishing the visitors' territorial control with ruthless attacking efficiency.
The Opening Strike
Portman Road Stadium roared to life in this fiercely contested Premier League clash, with Ipswich perfectly willing to absorb the early pressure. The visitors dictated the opening tempo, looking to suffocate their hosts by dominating possession and pinning them deep in their own half. Yet, the Intensity of the home side's counter-attacking setup was undeniable, waiting for a single defensive slip. It took just 24 minutes for that tactical patience to pay off brilliantly. A lightning-fast transition saw J. Enciso carve open the scrambling backline with a surgically precise pass, perfectly weighted for Emersonn. The forward made no mistake, finishing clinically to draw first blood. The home crowd was completely delirious, sensing a famous victory. However, that joy was fleeting. Just fifteen minutes later, Sunderland struck back through a sharp finish from N. Angulo in the 39th minute, silencing the terraces and restoring a fierce Balance to a tie rapidly turning into a classic.
The Midfield Chess Match
The second half transformed the pitch into a grueling tactical battlefield. Marcelino Núñez operated magnificently in the engine room for the hosts, putting on an absolute masterclass in breaking up play and launching swift, dangerous transitions. Despite the visitors holding onto the ball for long stretches and racking up 383 total passes, they largely struggled to penetrate the defensive block, managing a dismal expected goals tally of just 0.72. The Stakes steadily rose with every passing minute, as both sides desperately sought that crucial advantage to kickstart their campaign. The away side continuously probed down the flanks, ultimately firing in 22 crosses to stretch the play. Yet, the home defence held remarkably firm, weathering the relentless storm with incredible discipline and registering 33 crucial clearances. It was a fascinating clash of styles—sterile possession versus verticality—with neither outfit willing to yield an inch in a match defined by razor-thin margins.
A Breathless Conclusion
Just as the spoils looked absolutely destined to be shared, the narrative shifted with a single devastating blow. As the clock ticked into the 90th minute, the tension inside the ground reached a boiling point. S. Lukic found a pocket of space on the edge of the area and delivered a clever ball toward J. Clarke. With ice in his veins, Clarke hammered home a breathless winner that sent the home stands into absolute raptures. While the Upset Factor wasn't necessarily rooted in a massive gulf in quality, the sheer brutality of such a late winner leaves a profound psychological mark. The home side walk away with maximum points, brilliantly proving that defensive resilience paired with a lethal 1.64 xG from just 38% possession is a fiercely potent recipe. They showed immense character, proving that in this league, clinical finishing will always triumph over uninspired domination.
Key Questions
How dramatic was the late winner by Emersonn?
Emersonn actually scored the opener in the 24th minute; the dramatic 90th-minute winner was smashed home by J. Clarke to seal the victory.
What does this mean for Ipswich's season?
Sitting comfortably with three points early on, this efficient performance builds momentum and proves they can grind out results without dominating possession.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Midfield grit defines this opening day clash
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 28/100. A glaring lack of superstar power masks a tightly contested opening weekend scrap where early momentum is the real prize.
The Setup
Portman Road plays host to this Premier League fixture on August 22, 2026. With an understandably modest Stakes reality on the opening weekend, Ipswich and Sunderland arrive looking to forge an identity rather than chase immediate survival metrics. An off-the-charts Balance rating highlights a razor-thin gap between these sides, compensating for a notably low Stars score. With a clean slate resulting in a baseline Form read, expect tactical discipline to heavily outweigh individual brilliance in this regular season opener.
Key Battle
Sunderland boast a technically capable engine room that will aim to seize control of the central zones. The away side will look to E. Le Fée and H. Diarra to dictate the tempo and recycle possession. Supported by the movement of N. Sadiki, this visiting trio must navigate a resilient home midfield unit. Ipswich will undoubtedly deploy a compact shape, aiming to press aggressively, disrupt the visitors' rhythm, and launch rapid transitions.
Our Prediction
Expect a deeply cagey affair. Neither side wants to open their campaign with a defeat, leading to risk-averse strategies. A tense 1-1 draw seems the most logical outcome as both units prioritize defensive solidity over attacking adventures in the final third.