Match report: Muric frustrates Albion in goalless draw

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Ipswich keeper in inspired form as Amex clash ends in 0-0 draw.

Bruce Talbot

2024-09-14T17:00+01:00

Carlos Baleba made a number of exciting runs against the Tractor Boys. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion remain unbeaten in the Premier League but they suffered frustration against promoted Ipswich.

It was one of those Amex afternoons when the visiting keeper was in inspired form. The last time Seagulls’ fans saw Arijanet Muric he gifted Albion an equaliser playing for Burnley in April.

This time he frustrated them with some outstanding stops, the pick a double save in the first half to deny Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma. The stats didn’t lie: Albion had 71% possession and 21 shots but on this occasion that bit of quality to unlock the door was missing.

Ipswich were organised and committed and although Bart Verbruggen had little to do he watched a second-half effort from Liam Delap skim the far post.

Ferdi Kadioglu made his Albion debut against Ipswich. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

It was Albion’s first Saturday 3pm kick-off at home in the league since February and after a rousing rendition of Sussex by the Sea at kick-off Carlos Baleba nearly provided the perfect start, but Muric got down well to his left to keep out the midfielder’s left-foot shot.

As expected, Albion dominated possession, but Ipswich proved resilient and well organised with two deep-lying midfielders protecting their back four to restrict space.

A brilliant burst of quick passing involving Yasin Ayari and Danny Welbeck opened up space for Kaoru Mitoma but Muric came out quickly to smother. He made another save to parry Welbeck’s far post header after Yankuba Minteh had supplied a deep cross from the right.

Muric was only warming up though. Rutter was sent clear by Minteh on 36 minutes but the keeper plunged to his right to brilliantly parry his shot and then get up to somehow claw away Mitoma’s follow-up.

In the second half Rutter twice went close either side of a free-kick from 20 yards by Welbeck which he bent around the wall but not enough for it to creep inside the right-hand post.

Kaoru Mitoma. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Ipswich had their first shot on target after 55 minutes – and nearly scored. Delap charged forward from deep in his own half and his angled shot hit the inside of the far post. A warning for Albion and Fabian Hurzeler responded with three changes including debutant Ferdy Kadioglu.

Muric got down to block Julio Enciso’s shot and in the closing ten minutes Ipswich started to tire. Mitoma dribbled his way into space, but Muric wasn’t going to be tested by his weak effort. He was concerned, though, when Evan Ferguson left fly in the closing stages but bent his effort half a yard wide. It was that sort of day for Albion.

Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman, Dunk, van Hecke, Hinshelwood (Kadioglu 67), Baleba, Ayari, Minteh (Adingra 67), Welbeck (Ferguson 85), Mitoma, Rutter (Enciso 67).