Sam Szmodics punished his former club as Ipswich Town beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 at Portman Road to stretch their unbeaten run and boosting their Championship promotion push.
Right from the opening exchanges, Ipswich set the tempo and were rewarded almost immediately.
In the third minute, relentless pressure high up the pitch paid off when George Hirst won possession in the Blackburn half and released Jaden Philogene down the left.
The winger fed Marcelino Nunez, whose driven low cross caused chaos in the box and was inadvertently turned into the net by debutant Eiran Cashin, handing Town the perfect start.
Momentum stayed firmly with the Tractor Boys and, before Blackburn could regain their footing, the lead was doubled.
Nunez again played a pivotal role, whipping in a teasing corner that Dara O’Shea nodded goalwards.
Although Balazs Toth produced a smart low save, Jack Taylor reacted quickest to stab home from close range in the 12th minute.
From there, Ipswich never loosened their grip. Blackburn briefly threatened through Sondre Tronstad, whose long-range effort deflected narrowly wide, but that proved to be one of the visitors’ few moments of encouragement on a frustrating evening that ultimately yielded no shots on target.
After the break, Ipswich continued to press for a third. Nunez saw a hooked effort saved before Sindre Walle Egeli’s rebound was blocked, while Blackburn goalkeeper Toth was kept busy, producing a string of stops to deny Wes Burns and Nunez again as Town repeatedly found space in dangerous areas.
The contest was not without controversy. Rovers felt aggrieved when penalty appeals involving Yuki Ohashi and later Ivor Azon were waved away by referee Andrew Kitchen.
The decisions left Blackburn boss Valerien Ismael visibly furious on the touchline. However, even those moments failed to shift the balance of the game.
Ipswich finally got the third goal their performance deserved in the 88th minute.
Burns drove into space and squared across goal for Szmodics, who calmly side-footed home from six yards to score his first home goal for Town – and inevitably, against his former club.
The result keeps Ipswich third in the table, right on the heels of leaders Coventry and second-placed Middlesbrough, while Blackburn remain rooted in 20th place, just four points above the relegation zone.
On a night where Ipswich’s intensity, structure and attacking intent were clear, it was another statement win in a promotion race gathering momentum.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
