Sky Bet EFL Championship
Thursday 1 January 2026
Portman Road, Ipswich
Ipswich Town… 2
(Philogene 17’, Akpom 40’)
Oxford United… 1
(Lankshear 34’)
A resilient Oxford United lost 2-1 away to Ipswich Town despite a battling performance.
All the goals came in the first half, with Will Lankshear equalising, before Chuba Akpom’s winner on the 40th minute.
Craig Short’s side showed strong grit and determination, and quality at times, but couldn’t find the late equaliser to earn a deserved point.
Ipswich Town came into the game on the back of an impressive away win over Coventry City, and United looking to try and bounce back following defeat to Swansea City.
The two sides played as recently as late November, with United coming out 2-1 winners, and were looking for another upset.
The hosts started brightly, keeping the Oxford backline penned in, and on 17 minutes they did find the breakthrough with the first real effort on goal. Winning the ball back outside the United penalty area, Jaden Philogene created the opportunity on his own, twisting one way and then the next, before tucking it into the bottom right corner.
There was more bad news for United minutes later, as Tyler Goodrham hobbled off the pitch and was replaced by Siriki Dembele.
United’s first effort in the game came on the half hour mark. Jack Currie done superbly well to win a corner, which found the head of Will Lankshear who headed over the bar under pressure.
It was that man Lankshear who did get Oxford back into the game four minutes later. Brian De Keersmacker’s good work won the ball back at the halfway line, from there, United pounced with Przemyslaw Placheta advancing the ball forward. Filip Krastev’s cute backheel touch played the striker behind, and he didn’t disappoint with a lovely finish beyond Christian Walton.
United were in front and got in behind again minutes later. Krastev managed to work down the right channel, and eventually he pulled the ball back to Jack Currie 25 yards out who smashed a shot just over the bar.
But, on the 40th minute, Ipswich fired back into the lead. Darnell Furlong burst down the right wing and cut the ball back to Chuba Akpom who got ahead of Michal Helik to touch into the net.
Marcelino Nunez then had a go from 25 yards which tested Jamie Cumming, but the keeper reacted well to turn the powerful drive away from the top corner.
Into the second half and United had a huge chance to equalise just five minutes in. A ball over the top from Will Vaulks was met by De Keersmaecker who powered through on goal, but his finish with the outside of his boot failed to materialise how he imagined, and he pushed his shot wide from 12 yards.
Back came the hosts through Nunez, who forced Cumming into a strong reaction save on 57 minutes when his half-volley was tipped over the bar from just inside the area.
Cumming’s best save came five minutes later against the same player. Nunez had a central freekick 20 yards out, slightly to the left, which he whipped keeper’s side and angling for the stanchion, but Cumming somehow got fingertips on it to push over the bar.
United kept pushing for the equaliser and had a strong period of pressure in the final 10 minutes but couldn’t find the answer.
A much improved performance, now onto Sheffield United on Sunday for the lunchtime kick-off.
Ipswich Town: Walton, Davis, Kipre, Matusiwa, Egeli (Clarke 67’) Philogene, Cajuste, Furlong, O’Shea, Akpom, Nunez (Burns 67’)
Subs: Palmer, Taylor, Young, Johnson, McAteer, Greaves, Azon
Oxford United: Cumming, Long, Helik, Brown, Currie, De Keersmaecker, Vaulks, Krastev (L. Harris 73’), Goodrham (Dembele 22’), Placheta, Lankshear (M. Harris 82')
Subs: Ingram, Romeny, Spencer, Mills, Bradshaw, Leigh