Ipswich Town hosted Watford at Portman Road on 10 April for an EFL Championship game. The hosts needed to win to regain their top position on the league’s table. Unfortunately, Watford denied them the victory as the match ended in a 0-0 draw. Kieren McKenna’s team were unbeaten in their 19th home game and ascended to second place. They tie with Leicester City at 88 points.
Ipswich Town Waste Many Chances in the First Half
Ipswich were the fan favorite in the match. They strived to score an early goal as Leeds United and Leicester, their top rivals, failed to score on 9 April. Nathan Broadhead hit the post shortly after the game began. Daniel Bachmann, Watford’s goalkeeper, saved Keiffer Moore’s shot and denied him a goal.
Vakoun Bayo shot the ball but Cameron Burgess blocked it fast. Vaclav Hladky, Ipswich Town’s keeper, intercepted Jamal Lewis’ cross in the 30th minute. Bachmann caught the ball a few minutes later after Sam Morsy took a 25-yard shot. Watford’s keeper made a great save in the 43rd minute as Moore tried to convert Harry Clarke’s cross.
Watford Boosts Their Defense Against Ipswich Town
Watford improved their defense line when the match resumed. Bachmann deflected Broadhead’s cross and Hladky blocked Yaser Asprilla’s 20-yard shot early in the second half. Mattie Pollock blocked Omari Hutchinson’s shot.
Hladky parried Lewis’ angled drive in the 76th minute. Watford players blocked Ali Al-Hamadi and Massimo Luongo’s shots. Edo Kayembe took a spectacular midfield strike in stoppage time but Hladky denied him an opener, hence resulting in a goalless draw.
It was Ipswich Town’s second home match without a goal this season. QPR held them to another barren draw in December 2023. Nevertheless, McKenna’s side hasn’t lost their recent Championship games.
Managers’ Comments After the Game
Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk reporters, “Of course, it’s frustrating that we weren’t able to get the goal we wanted that would have made it a really good night. Lots of it was a really good performance, the first half we played well, we controlled the game, and we had two or three big moments that on another night, fine margins, they go in – the first goal was always going to be key.
It was a good performance and much more like us coming off the back of Saturday [defeat by Norwich]. We take the point and they all add up at the end of the season. Another clean sheet is a positive. We are defending well. It’s unlike us not to score but credit to the opponent.”
Tom Cleverley, Watford’s interim manager stated, “I am incredibly proud of the group. To come into a job when the season looked a bit dead in the water and you’re staring down the barrel of a tough run of fixtures, and to respond to that challenge like we have – I am really proud.
We have had high demands in training. They have passed that challenge, and then we have asked them to give everything for the club on the pitch and they have done it yet again. Three clean sheets in five is a solid foundation moving forward. We are setting small markers down with draws against Leeds, away at West Brom, now away at Ipswich. Now we want to put a big one down with a win away at Southampton on Saturday.”
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