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2 hours ago
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Sixteen years of hurt have finally come to an end for Ipswich Town. A curse, that had lingered for longer than that on most abandoned burial grounds, was banished in conclusive fashion as East Anglian rivals Norwich City were defeated 3-1 and generally outclassed in the home side’s first win in 15 derbies.
Goals from Cédric Kipré – the man of the match – the mercurial Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke were the decisive moments of the match, Norwich’s kamikaze attacking another factor. But the figure of Marcelino Núñez, who scored against Ipswich for Norwich in the last derby match two seasons ago then completed a £10m move to Suffolk in the summer, loomed throughout. Featuring on the cover of the programme and in the voices of the Ipswich support, even as he started the match on the bench, this was a transfer troll that ultimately achieved the desired effect.
After a peppy atmosphere in and around the ground before the match, the opening half hour was as scrappy as chip paper. But Ipswich took the lead in the 32nd minute with a well-worked set piece. The delivery came from Philogene: a deep outswinger that found Dara O’Shea at the back post. O’Shea nodded the ball down to the penalty spot and, after something of a scramble, it came to Kipré took a touch and crashed the ball into the net.
This was what the home crowd had been after and Ipswich looked well placed to kick on, but Norwich scrapped their way back into the match. A series of turnovers by the visitors ended with one finding Ante Crnac who burst behind Leif Davis to win a corner. Kellen Fisher’s delivery was aimed at Harry Darling at the back post, but was cleared out to Oscar Schwartau who hit a low shot straight back at goal and, via a minor deflection, past a stranded Alex Palmer.
Norwich were euphoric and Ipswich’s fans became a little volatile. This was a story they had seen many times before, while the home side’s performance was amplifying concerns over a scratchy start to the season following relegation. But one consistent during the opening rounds of fixtures has been the goalscoring form of Philogene, and he was about to strike again.
Norwich were playing triangles in the centre of the park with the clock having just ticked to 45 minutes when Schwartau’s fellow Dane, the midfielder Pelle Mattsson, inexplicably let the ball pass between his legs and through to a lurking Ipswich No 11. From there Philogene wasted no time. He advanced direct on goal and, after two touches, unleashed a rising drive from 25 yards that clipped the top of Vladan Kovacevic’s fingers but burst into the top corner of the net. His celebration – a na-na-na-na-na with his fingers in his ears – may require some work.
At half-time the Ipswich legend Jim Magilton came on to the pitch to urge the fans to stick the course, and pledged that Norwich’s high defensive line would produce more opportunities. Soon enough he was proven right. Ipswich were increasingly able to spin runners into the space offered up by Norwich’s advanced full-backs. George Hirst should have scored from one such opportunity three minutes after the restart, but fluffed his effort when one on one with Kovacevic. Presented with a mirror image of an opportunity on the hour Hirst chose not to shoot at all and crossed the ball into empty space.
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With 15 minutes to go both teams made a number of substitutions but all eyes were on one specific individual. Núñez emerged on to the field to a round of raucous chanting (set to the tune of Zombie by the Cranberries, aka “He’s in your head, Rory, Rory, Rory”, for McIlroy at the Ryder Cup) and within minutes he had made the decisive contribution the narrative had forewarned. Norwich were trying to hustle into some attacking activity, but a forward burst from Darling ended in a poor touch and Jens Cajuste robbed the defender before rolling the ball instantly to Núñez. The Chilean needed just an instant to read the situation and spun a ball behind that high line into his fellow substitute Iván Azón on the left hand side. His low effort went past Kovacevic and on to a post, but Jack Clarke (another sub) was on hand to turn the rebound home coolly.
The last 15 minutes were a battering for the visitors but there was no further embarrassment to be suffered. Not during active play at least. At the full-time whistle, as Portman Road erupted, Núñez was afforded his own victory lap of the ground, followed by the cameras. Stroking the Ipswich flag and carrying a banner of a tweet from a Norwich influencer calling for a Núñez statue at Carrow Road, the midfielder appeared to be having the time of his life.
