Match report
Ipswich Holds Off Preston for a Thrilling Championship Draw (1-1)
Ipswich
1–1
FT
Preston
Jan 31, 2026
Ipswich staged a valiant comeback to secure a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Preston in their latest Championship clash at Portman Road. Despite falling behind to an early goal by L. Gibson, Ipswich rallied and equalized through a late penalty by J. Clarke, ensuring both teams left with a point.
Key Facts
- • Preston's L. Gibson scored the opening goal at 72 minutes.
- • Ipswich's J. Clarke netted an equalizing penalty in the final minute (90th).
- • J. Thompson and Alistair McCann received yellow cards for Preston.
- • I. Azon substituted George Hirst in Ipswich's first substitution at half-time.
Lineups
Ipswich
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI
- 28 C. Walton (G)
- 19 D. Furlong (D)
- 26 D. O'Shea (D)
- 4 C. Kipre (D)
- 3 L. Davis (D)
- 5 A. Matusiwa (M)
- 12 J. Cajuste (M)
- 7 W. Burns (M)
- 33 A. Mehmeti (M)
- 47 J. Clarke (M)
- 31 I. Azon (F)
Substitutes
- 1 A. Palmer
- 18 B. Johnson
- 24 J. Greaves
- 6 D. Neil
- 14 J. Taylor
- 20 K. McAteer
- 8 S. W. Egeli
- 29 C. Akpom
- 9 G. Hirst
Preston
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Starting XI
- 13 D. Cornell (G)
- 42 O. Offiah (D)
- 6 L. Lindsay (D)
- 19 L. Gibson (D)
- 2 P. Valentin (M)
- 15 J. Thompson (M)
- 4 B. Whiteman (M)
- 26 T. Small (M)
- 8 A. McCann (F)
- 21 A. Devine (F)
- 9 D. Jebbison (F)
Substitutes
- 12 J. Walton
- 3 A. Vukcevic
- 36 E. Nolan
- 18 J. Lewis
- 35 N. Mawene
- 10 M. Frokjaer-Jensen
- 17 L. Dobbin
- 24 M. Smith
- 22 M. Lukovic
Timeline
-
33' Preston Card · Yellow CardJ. ThompsonFoul
-
46' Ipswich subst · Substitution 1Off: I. Azon · On: George Hirst -
50' Preston Card · Yellow CardAlistair McCannFoul
-
65' Ipswich subst · Substitution 2Off: J. Cajuste · On: Jack Taylor -
65' Ipswich subst · Substitution 3Off: W. Burns · On: S. W. Egeli -
72' Preston Goal · Normal GoalL. Gibson -
78' Ipswich subst · Substitution 4Off: Darnell Furlong · On: Ben Johnson -
78' Ipswich subst · Substitution 5Off: A. Mehmeti · On: C. Akpom -
81' Preston subst · Substitution 1Off: A. Devine · On: M. Frokjaer-Jensen -
82' Ipswich Card · Yellow CardJ. ClarkeArgument
-
90' Ipswich Goal · PenaltyJ. Clarke
Match Stats
| Stat | Ipswich | Preston |
|---|---|---|
| Fouls | 11 | 10 |
| Pass Accuracy | 83% | 68% |
| Offsides | 1 | 1 |
| Red Cards | — | — |
| Total Shots | 16 | 11 |
| Corners | 9 | 3 |
| Total Passes | 533 | 263 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
| Blocked Shots | 4 | 4 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 4 |
| xG | 2.79 | 1.19 |
| Shots off Target | 7 | 3 |
| Possession | 68% | 32% |
| Goals Prevented | 0 | 0 |
| Accurate Passes | 444 | 178 |
| Shots Inside Box | 16 | 8 |
| Saves | 3 | 3 |
| Shots Outside Box | 0 | 3 |
Key Match Notes
- ▸ Preston took the lead with L. Gibson’s goal, giving them a significant advantage entering the second half.
- ▸ Ipswich managed to level the score through J. Clarke's penalty in stoppage time, ensuring they did not concede points at home.