Express & Star

Ipswich 1 Aston Villa 1 - Report

Villa dropped their first points of the Championship season after they were held to a draw by ten man Ipswich.

Published

The hosts saw Tayo Edun sent-off in just the 39th minute but claimed a deserved draw after frustrating the visitors.

Jonathan Kodjia had earlier given Villa the perfect start when he headed them in front for his first goal since last September.

But a mistake by goalkeeper Orjan Nyland allowed Trevoh Chalobah to level and though Edun was dismissed, Villa could find no way through.

Analysis

Boss Steve Bruce would likely have been happy with a haul of seven points from the season's opening three matches.

Yet the manager will have taken little comfort from this performance and result.

The point was, in truth, all Villa deserved as they struggled and failed to break down a well-organised Ipswich defence.

After Edun had seen red, it took until stoppage time at the end of the game for home goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski to be seriously tested.

His opposite number Nyland, meanwhile, endured another difficult afternoon. Villa's new No.1 again looked uncertain when dealing with aerial balls into the box. It led directly to Ipswich's equaliser, when he fumbled while attempting to collect Jonas Knudsen's, allowing Chalobah to equalise.

Villa now face Brentford at home on Wednesday, their sternest test of the season to date.

Having made six changes for the win over Wigan, Bruce made only one for the trip to Portman Road, Albert Adomah replacing Andre Green on the wing.

It meant Jedinak continued alongside Chester at centre-half, with Axel Tuanzebe again playing at right-back.

Though they would go on to break the deadlock, Villa were slow out of the blocks and fortunate not to go behind on 13 minutes.

Edwards started a swift counter by riding two challenges on the right wing. He then switched play to Edun on the opposite flank, before racing into the box to receive the return cross, only to smash his finish off the bar.

The lively winger would go close again with a shot which rolled wide of the far post, after Chalobah had also seen an effort blocked.

But it was Villa who grabbed the lead thanks to another piece of superb skill from John McGinn. The Scotland international received the ball out wide on the right and feinted to moved outside full-back Knudsen, then cut inside and whipped in a vicious left-footed delivery which Kodjia redirected beyond Bialkowski and into the net.

The Ivory Coast international ran most of the length of the pitch in celebration at ending a personal goal drought of nearly 11 months.

A few minutes later, he almost had a second, this time his header from a Grealish free-kick sailing a little too high and clipping the top of the bar.

Villa were in control but for the second week running, gifted their opponents a route back into the game. For the second week running, Nyland was at the centre of it. The Norwegian international came through a crowd to collect Knudsen's long-throw but fumbled the ball and could then only watch as Chalobah fired a finish into the bottom corner on the turn.

Yet having got themselves back level, Ipswich quickly found themselves a man down. Edun had already picked up one booking for a foul on Elmohamady and been warned by referee Tim Robinson. When he again went into a challenge with the Egyptian international, the official produced a second yellow, much to the displeasure of the home crowd and Ipswich boss Paul Hurst, who felt his man had won the ball.

Villa struggled to make the extra man both in the remaining minutes of the first-half and early in the second.

Instead it was Ipswich who came closes to scoring again prior to the hour mark, Ellis Harrison heading narrowly wide at a corner as Villa again struggled to deal with a set piece.

Bruce introduced Conor Hourihane and Andre Green as he looked to inject more urgency into his team.

Hourihane saw a long-range effort deflected off target, while Green also directed a shot from the resulting corner over the the bar.

Gradually the chances began to come. Adomah volleyed over, while McGinn wasted a good opening when he drilled over after pouncing on a poor Bialkowski kick.

Yet when Ipswich pressed, Villa were looking no more secure at the back. Substitute Kayden Jackson was unable to keep his shot down after an error by Jedinak, while Jon Nolan came just inches from converting a low Edwards cross.

It wasn't until stoppage time Bialkowski was forced into a save, beating away a fierce Hourihane effort.

Key Moments

21 GOAL Villa lead as Jonathan Kodjia scores for the first time in nearly 11 months. The Ivory Coast international flicks John McGinn's superb cross into the far corner.

35 GOAL Ipswich level. Villa keeper Orjan Nyland can't collect a long-throw and Trevoh Chalobah swivels to score.

39 RED CARD Tayo Edun is shown a second yellow card for a foul on Albert Adomah. Ipswich down to ten men.

Teams

Ipswich (4-5-1): Bialkowski, Donacien, Nsiala, Chambers ©, Knudsen, Edun, Nolan (Kenlock 84), Skuse, Chalobah, Edwards, Harrison (Jackson 73) Subs not used: Spence, Ward, Sears, Downes, Gerken (gk).

Villa (4-1-4-1): Nyland, Tuanzebe (Green 63), Chester ©, Jedinak, Hutton, Bjarnason (Hourihane 63), Elmohamady, Grealish, McGinn, Adomah (Hepburn-Murphy 78), Kodjia Subs not used: Taylor, Whelan, Elphick, Moreira (gk).