Liam Delap’s fine strike not enough for Ipswich as Fulham claim a point

Premier League newcomers Ipswich picked up their first point of the season following a competitive 1-1 draw with Fulham at Portman Road.

Kieran McKenna’s men had been handed a tough return to the top flight and fell to successive defeats against Manchester City and Liverpool, but a wonderful long-range effort from Liam Delap gave them their first home goal of the campaign.

Adama Traore levelled proceedings before the break and both sides were unable to break the deadlock after the interval.

Ipswich forced Bernd Leno into action early on after Omari Hutchinson’s looped corner saw Jacob Greaves’ nodded effort tipped over, but it was Fulham who made the better start in Suffolk.

Target-man Rodrigo Muniz dropped deep, tempting defenders out of position before unleashing Adama Traore in behind to win a corner. However, Marco Silva’s side were unable to make the most of their early possession and chances.

A sensational run from Delap against the run of play saw him score an incredible solo effort to open his Tractor Boys account.

Leif Davis marauded down the left flank before laying it off to Delap, who joined from Manchester City in the summer. The forward picked the ball up on half-way and then skipped past defenders, driving towards goal before he unleashed a thumping strike which was buried into the top left-hand corner.

Portman Road was well up for the occasion and the home fans geed their players forward.

Fulham steadied the ship and managed to regroup to equalise after 32 minutes.

Emile Smith Rowe picked out the overlapping Antonee Robinson, who burst past team-mate Alex Iwobi. The full-back’s first-time delivery was fizzed low and hard across the area and Traore was well-positioned to finish in the bottom-right corner.