Raúl Jiménez Saves Fulham with Double Penalty Equaliser in 2-2 Draw Against Ipswich

Raúl Jiménez scored two equalising penalties in a dramatic second half as Fulham held Ipswich Town to a thrilling 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Sunday. This result extended Fulham’s unbeaten streak to eight league matches.

Match Summary

Both teams were awarded penalties within two minutes of each other, with Jiménez canceling out Sammie Szmodics’ first-half strike in the 69th minute. However, Liam Delap put Ipswich back in front after Timothy Castagne fouled him. Just when it seemed Ipswich might secure their first win since November, Jiménez earned his second penalty of the match after Leif Davis fouled him in the 90th minute.

Ipswich, sitting 18th in the table, were denied the opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone, while Fulham, in 9th place, kept their unbeaten run intact.

Key Moments

• First Half:
  Fulham dominated possession but struggled to break down Ipswich, with Christian Walton making a crucial save to deny Jiménez’s header in the 20th minute. Ipswich capitalized on Fulham’s defensive mistakes when Antonee Robinson and Calvin Bassey failed to clear the ball, allowing Szmodics to score in the 38th minute.
• Second Half:
  The game turned on its head after Sam Morsy fouled Harry Wilson in the box, leading to a penalty for Fulham. Referee Darren Bond initially waved off the decision, but after a VAR review, he awarded the penalty, which Jiménez converted with his usual calmness.

Ipswich quickly regained the lead when Delap scored from the penalty spot after being fouled by Castagne. Fulham responded in the final minute when Davis brought down Jiménez, allowing the Mexican striker to score his second penalty of the game and secure a draw for the hosts.

Reactions

• Raúl Jiménez said: “It’s really bad for us. I think we did everything to win the game… this is two lost points.”
  Jiménez, who has a perfect penalty record in the Premier League, was pleased with his performance but disappointed not to secure all three points for Fulham.
• Marco Silva (Fulham manager) praised Jiménez’s composure from the penalty spot, saying: “He’s our best penalty taker… the way he fought and made it hard for the defenders, he is in a really good moment.” Silva, however, was frustrated with the decision not to issue a red card to Davis in the first half for fouling Wilson when he was through on goal.
• Kieran McKenna (Ipswich manager) expressed pride in his team’s performance: “When you lead twice you always feel a little bit disappointed not to win. We had some chances to get a two-goal margin but weren’t able to take them.”

Final Thoughts

• Fulham extended their unbeaten run to eight matches, moving to 30 points in the Premier League, while Ipswich earned a crucial point but remained in the relegation zone, tied on points with 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
• The thrilling draw highlighted Fulham’s resilience and Ipswich’s promising play, but both teams will feel they could have had more from this exciting encounter.

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