Bryan Mbeumo’s late goal sunk 10-man Ipswich Town as Brentford came out 4-3 winner from a chaotic and dramatic Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Kieran McKenna’s side looked on course for a first victory of the season as quickfire first-half goals from Sam Szmodics and George Hirst put them 2-0 up.
However, the game was flipped on its head just before the break, as Yoane Wissa slotted home and then forced an own goal from the luckless Harry Clarke, who subsequently conceded a penalty early in the second half.
Mbeumo slammed home from 12 yards, and Clarke’s day got worse when he received his second booking, only for Ipswich to fightback through Liam Delap’s 86th-minute goal.
Yet Mbeumo had the final say as his cross found the net deep in stoppage time. The win moves Brentford to ninth while Ipswich remain 16th, without a win to their name.
How the match unfolded
Despite the final result, there was little goalmouth action early on before Hirst teed up Szmodics to fire past Mark Flekken in the 28th minute.
The away fans were swiftly celebrating a second as Hirst dinked home his maiden Premier League goal.
But as Ipswich failed to find an immediate third, with Szmodics missing a chance, Brentford struck twice in as many minutes. Wissa halved the deficit before squeezing a shot under Arijanet Muric that the unfortunate Clarke bundled over his own line.
Brentford were revved up after the restart, as Keane Lewis-Potter caught Clarke cold to win a penalty. Mbeumo coolly converted to put the Bees ahead.
With the visitors punctured by the turnaround, Clarke’s red card was another blow, before Delap hauled them back into the game with a clever finish from Leif Davis’ brilliant left-wing cross.
But the Bees had a final sting in their tail in the sixth minute of stoppage time as Mbeumo’s hopeful cross into the area crept into the far corner. Delap hit the post with a wicked effort just after, but it was ultimately not to be for Ipswich.
Wissa and Mbeumo rule after Toney’s exit
Despite the exit of their most high-profile name in Ivan Toney, Brentford fans were confident over the Wissa-Mbeumo axis thriving in the post-Toney era, and the signs look very positive.
Wissa’s breakthrough strike in the Bees’ first-half comeback, and his key role in forcing Clarke’s own goal, combined with Mbeumo taking centre stage after the interval, showed just how adept the duo are at pulling defences out of shape.
Mbeumo’s sharpness to drop in and link with the midfield eases the pressure on Brentford’s engine room with Wissa’s pace and directness in behind giving the feel of a throwback front two.
There was a touch of fortune about Mbeumo’s winner, but his confidence from the spot earlier on proves he is excelling as one of Brentford’s go-to men. Thomas Frank’s side had a tough time of it last season, but if Mbeumo and Wissa stay fit, then a top-half finish is on the cards.
Converting impressive Championship form into Premier League consistency is always a challenge and Ipswich will have known that when they made a summer move for Republic of Ireland midfielder Szmodics.
He lit up the second tier in 2023/24 for Blackburn Rovers before swapping Lancashire for Norfolk in August.
A goal on his first Premier League start at Manchester City lifted some of the early pressure on his shoulders, but goals have been hard to come by since, with his opener against Brentford just his second league strike of the season.
However, his wider role in this Ipswich team shows the threat he carries; tenacious off the ball and willing to make life uncomfortable for opposition defences.
Replaced on 73 minutes, another battling shift underlines McKenna’s confidence, even if Delap’s goals continue to grab the headlines for Ipswich. But now, the Tractor Boys have to find a way to keep it tight at the back if they are to collect that first victory of the season.
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