Brentford boost European hopes with fourth straight win

Ipswich 0

Brentford 1

Schade (18′)

Brentford edged past relegated Ipswich to continue their push for European football.

Kevin Schade scored for a third consecutive game to earn Thomas Frank’s side all three points at Portman Road.

The home side had more than one late chance to level the game but the Bees held on for a fourthstraight win to boost their chances of qualifying for the Uefa Conference League.

Brentford were unfortunate not to have been awarded a penalty from an early corner, with the VAR determining the ball was not yet in play as Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves grappled with Sepp Van den Berg.

They wasted no time feeling sorry for themselves though, as Schade rose highest from the corner that followed to brilliantly head in a Bryan Mbeumo delivery.

Mbeumo had the best chance to extend Brentford’s lead before half-time but he shot straight at goalkeeper Alex Palmer after being played in by Yoane Wissa.

A second goal remained elusive after the interval, with both Wissa and Mbeumo denied by Palmer.

That allowed the home side to pile the pressure on in the closing stages, as former Chelsea man Omari Hutchinson saw an effort turned on to the post by Mark Flekken.

Flekken made an even better save in stoppage time, this time reacting quickly to turn away a Cameron Burgess effort after the defender had been left unmarked in the penalty area.

Brentford: Flekken, Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Yarmoliuk, Damsgaard (Thiago 85), Mbeumo, Wissa (Konak 90), Schade (Jensen 72).
Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Mee, Maghoma, Nunes