Chelsea came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge, with Jadon Sancho delivering a moment of magic to keep the Blues’ Champions League hopes alive.
Ipswich stunned the home crowd by racing into a 2-0 lead in the first half. Julio Enciso opened the scoring in the 19th minute, slotting home from Ben Johnson’s low cross to notch his first goal for the club. Twelve minutes later, roles reversed as Enciso chipped a perfectly-weighted pass to the back post, where Johnson powered in a header to double the lead.
Chelsea responded quickly after the break, aided by an unfortunate own goal from former Blues defender Axel Tuanzebe just seconds into the second half. Despite dominating possession, Chelsea struggled to break down a resilient Ipswich defense until the 79th minute.
Enter Jadon Sancho.
The on-loan Manchester United winger answered manager Enzo Maresca’s call with a brilliant curling strike into the top corner, after a short-corner routine with Cole Palmer. It was Sancho’s third Premier League goal of the season—and arguably his most crucial in a Chelsea shirt.
The comeback keeps Chelsea in fifth place, three points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest. However, dropped points at home against a side 14 points from safety is a dent in their top-four ambitions.
Ipswich, despite their precarious position, showed impressive fight. With star striker Liam Delap sidelined by injury, George Hirst stepped up with key hold-up play and link-up contributions, helping to create the first goal and nearly scoring one of his own.
While the draw won’t do much for Ipswich’s slim survival hopes, it was a performance full of resilience and promise.
Match Summary:
Chelsea 2–2 Ipswich Town
Goals: Enciso (19’), Johnson (31’) | Tuanzebe (OG, 46’), Sancho (79’)
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 39,805
