City Maintain Winning Start Against Ipswich

26 August 2024 Off By Harry

A view of the game from the Family Stand at the Etihad, captured by the post author with the advertising hoarding cropped out.

City went in to their first home game of the new season against newly-promoted Ipswich, looking to maintain their 100% start to the season.

The game didn’t start particularly well for the blues. Ipswich played a magnificent through ball to Sammie Szmodics, who managed to squeeze the ball past Ederson to give the visitors an unexpected advantage at the home of the Champions. This sent the packed out away end into scenes of wild celebrations.

It didn’t take City long to respond though. A penalty that wasn’t originally given on-field was overturned by the referee after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor. This meant Haaland stepped up to the spot and converted coolly into the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way and putting the current Club World Champions back on level terms in the 12th minute.

This started a frantic period of the game; Savinho but pressure on the Ipswich (and former City) keeper Muric, winning the ball back and allowing Kevin De Bruyne an open goal. De Bruyne took full advantage to put the hosts in front in the 14th minute.

In the 16th minute, Haaland was able to find the net again! De Bruyne played a wonderful ball over the top of the Tractor Boys’ defence, allowing Haaland to cleverly control the ball with his head to get it round Muric in the Ipswich goal to finish the move from a tight angle to double City’s advantage.

12 minutes later, Rico Lewis had an amazing opportunity to widen the gap in the game. After some clever play from Doku to tee up the City youngster, he hit the crossbar with a powerful strike, which was really close to widening the advantage for the blues.

Around a minute later, De Bruyne also hit the crossbar with a wonderful strike that left Muric helpless. Some late dip on the ball made it hit the woodwork, so close to another goal for the reigning Champions.

Ipswich also had a penalty appeal of their own in the 42nd minute. After some good play down the left flank, Davis managed to get into the City penalty area. He went down under pressure from Savinho and Lewis, but the referee clearly said no penalty.

The 2nd half wasn’t anywhere near as exciting as the 1st half. However, a corner from the right that was cleared by Ipswich gave De Bruyne a chance to put the ball back into the danger area. Haaland got his head to it, but a brilliant save from Muric kept the score at 3-1 to the hosts.

Haaland wasn’t to be denied his hat-trick though. In the 88th minute of the game, he managed to squeeze the ball into the bottom-right corner of the Ipswich net from outside the area to score the last goal of the game, and to earn him is first hat-trick of the season. The final score was 4-1 City to continue their 100% record so far this season.

City will look for 3 from 3 in the league on Saturday, as they travel to the capital to face West Ham. After their victory away at London rivals Crystal Palace yesterday, it may be a harder game than some might expect for the blues. Ipswich will be looking for their first win back in the big time at home to Fulham on Saturday. But before that, they pay a visit to AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup 2nd Round during the week.

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