Ipswich Town defeated Chelsea 2-0 on Monday, ending an almost 23-year wait to win a Premier League game at Portman Road thanks to goals from Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson before halftime.
Ipswich had not enjoyed home success in the top division since April 2002, when they defeated Middlesbrough 1-0.
However, they delivered Chelsea’s title dreams another blow on Monday, moving up one spot to 18th in the rankings with a resolute victory.
Former Chelsea player Hutchinson’s brilliant finish in the 53rd minute and Delap’s penalty in the 12th minute completed a thrilling season for the team, which was promoted at the end of the previous year.
Chelsea’s loss, however, dropped them to fourth place with one point from their previous three games, 10 points behind Liverpool, and one game ahead of the leaders.
The penalty award gave home team optimism early on. Delap dove in to try to grab the ball after Leif Davis’ searching pass, but Chelsea custodian Filip Jorgensen caught his dangling leg as he rushed off his line.
To the joy of the home crowd, Delap blasted Ipswich’s first penalty of the league season beneath Jorgensen.
Before Chelsea grabbed control of the match and did all but score, Delap made a hard effort across goal from a tight angle, followed shortly after by a great stop from Jorgensen.
After a protracted VAR review, Joao Felix’s attempt in the 24th minute that went in at the back post and was declared offside put the ball in the net. Cole Palmer hit the woodwork twice.
The first time he did so, he took a fast, curling freekick, and Christopher Nkunku received the rebound, hitting it directly at Christian Walton.
Near the conclusion of the first half, Palmer was again denied by a deft stop from the Ipswich custodian.
However, the anticipated equaliser never materialised, and Ipswich took a 2-0 lead early in the second half.
With a clever finish for the second goal, Hutchinson, who left Chelsea for Ipswich in a club record 20 million pounds ($25.10 million) trade prior to the start of the season, partially repaid his transfer fee.
Delap, who was constantly sprinting hard and frequently the only guy left up front, grabbed it when Chelsea’s French international Axel Disasi made a mistaken pass.
