Brighton secured their first Premier League victory since November, defeating relegation-threatened Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road. Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter delivered the crucial three points, lifting the Seagulls to ninth place in the league standings.
Mitoma breaks the deadlock
In a lively first half, Ipswich created several opportunities to take the lead. Visiting goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was called into action, making excellent saves to deny Nathan Broadhead, Liam Delap, and Omari Hutchinson. Wes Burns also came close but fired narrowly wide from 12 yards out.
Brighton, despite dominating possession early on, struggled to create clear-cut chances. Joao Pedro’s header and a tame effort from Mitoma were comfortably dealt with by Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton. However, the visitors capitalized on a lapse in Ipswich’s defense in the second half when an unmarked Mitoma calmly slotted home from 15 yards, giving Brighton the lead just before the hour mark.
Rutter secures the points
Pedro nearly doubled Brighton’s advantage shortly after, but Walton produced an outstanding one-handed save to deny the Brazilian forward. Ipswich, looking for a way back into the match, failed to trouble Verbruggen in the final stages.
Brighton sealed the victory in the 81st minute when substitute Georginio Rutter found space inside the box and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner. The goal marked Rutter’s third in two games, following his brace against Norwich City in the FA Cup.
Mixed fortunes for Ipswich and Brighton
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler expressed relief after the win, noting the team’s improved stability and resilience. “This victory means a lot. We have struggled recently, but this result should give us confidence,” he said.
Ipswich, coming off a memorable home win against Chelsea, failed to replicate their form. The defeat leaves them 18th in the table, dropping back into the relegation zone on goals scored. Manager Kieran McKenna acknowledged the setback, emphasizing the need to regroup ahead of challenging fixtures against Manchester City and Liverpool.
Brighton will aim to build on this success as they face Manchester United in their next Premier League outing.
