Crystal Palace secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Ipswich Town in a tense Matchweek 14 showdown. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s clinical finish in the 59th minute proved decisive, capitalizing on Palace’s more effective forward play. While Ipswich showed resilience, their lack of cutting edge in the final third cost them dearly.
Stat Breakdown
Goals: Crystal Palace 1, Ipswich Town 0
xG: Crystal Palace 1.53, Ipswich Town 0.46
Shots: Crystal Palace 12 (3 on target), Ipswich Town 7 (2 on target)
Possession: Ipswich Town 54%, Crystal Palace 46%
Match Momentum
The match momentum graph highlighted Palace’s dominance for most of the second half. Ipswich started brightly but faded as Palace found their rhythm, controlling key moments of the game, particularly around Mateta’s goal. The home side’s late push lacked the precision to trouble Palace’s defense. Despite Ipswich edging possession, Palace created the higher quality chances, reflected in their superior xG and shot selection. Ipswich’s lack of high-threat opportunities (0.15 xG for their best shot) underlined their struggles in attack.
Shots Taken
Crystal Palace registered 12 shots, with a balanced spread across the attacking zones. The shot map shows a focus on central areas inside the box, which yielded their goal.
Ipswich, despite their seven shots, mostly tested from outside the box, resulting in a low xG.
Possession Tactics
Crystal Palace’s pass map displayed a cohesive structure, with Marc Guéhi and Michael Lacroix anchoring the build-up. Eberechi Eze was instrumental in linking midfield to attack, supported by Tyrick Mitchell’s overlapping runs on the left flank. Palace’s backline, led by Guéhi and Lacroix, dealt efficiently with Ipswich’s limited forays. With five blocked shots and just two shots on target conceded, Palace’s defensive organization shone through.
Ipswich, meanwhile, relied heavily on Sam Morsy and Jack Clarke for transitions, but their final-third connections were stifled by Palace’s defensive discipline. Their pass map reveals a lack of penetration, with most play concentrated in midfield.
This result lifts Crystal Palace closer to the top half of the table, while Ipswich will need to address their attacking inefficiencies to turn possession into points.