Ipswich Town 0-0 Charlton Athletic - Half-Time Tuesday, 21st Oct 2025 20:44 The Blues and Charlton remain locked at 0-0 at half-time at Portman Road, Chuba Akpom having hit the bar for the home side. Town boss Kieran McKenna made seven changes from the team which was beaten 2-1 at Middlesbrough on Friday. Ashley Young returned at right-back with Jacob Greaves the left centre-half and Marcelino Nunez making his first home start in the deeper midfield role. Town swapped all four of their attacking players with Kasey McAteer on the right, Chuba Akpom as the number 10, Jack Clarke on the left and Ivan Azon making his first home start as the out-and-out striker. Azor Matisuwa missed out having amassed five bookings, while Cedric Kipre, Sindre Walle Egeli, George Hirst, Jaden Philogene, Darnell Furlong and Sammie Szmodics all dropping to the bench. Charlton made two changes from the team which beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at the Valley on Saturday with striker Tanto Olaofe handed his first league start for the Addicks. Central defender Kayne Ramsay returned to the XI as the Addicks started with a back three, while Tyreece Campbell and Reece Burke switched to the bench. Former Town loanee James Bree was in the team at right wing-back. As expected, Town dominated possession from the off and created their first opening in the seventh minute. Nunez struck a shot from the edge of the area which was blocked by Lloyd Jones and ricocheted off McAteer towards Addicks keeper Thomas Kaminski’s right post. Azon slid in but the Belgian international glovesman dived at the Spaniard’s feet to block his effort. Three minutes later, a speculative effort from distance from Nunez felled visitors’ skipper Greg Docherty, who for a moment looked like he’d been caught by a Fabio Wardley right hand, but after treatment as able to continue. On 12, McAteer brought the ball forward on the right with the Charlton defence standing off him but the Irish international’s shot was to high. As the game reached the quarter-hour mark with the Blues remaining very dominant, Clarke’s corner from the left was cleared from under the bar, then the ball was returned to the former Sunderland winger, who took it to the byline but a defender got to it ahead of Akpom and put it out for another corner, Town’s fourth of the evening. In the 18th minute, Akpom cleverly flicked a pass behind him to Young, who played a first-time ball in for McAteer breaking to the edge of the box, however, the linesman raised his flag. Two minutes later, Blues keeper Alex Palmer went down having passed the ball to skipper Dara O’Shea, evidently in some discomfort with a leg issue, and underwent treatment. At the other end of the field, Azon was also feeling a knock but was fine having limped his way to the touchline to take drinks and instruction along with his teammates. Palmer eventually made his way to the touchline to applause from the home support and Christian Walton took over, making his first appearance of the season. The game continued much as before the change, Nunez hitting an awkward bouncing ball deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand in the 28th minute. Walton was involved for the first time a minute later, coming out of his goal to claim a through ball down to his right. On 31, Clarke sent the second of two back-to-back corners to the far post where Greaves nodded over in front of O’Shea, who might have managed a more controlled header. Charlton created their first opening in the 36th minute, Amari’i Bell crossing from the left and finding an unmarked Sonny Carey beyond the back post, but he shot into the upper tier of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand when he should at least have made Walton make a save. A minute later, Akpom came very close to opening his Town goals account. After the Blues had slickly moved from back to front, Azon out-muscled Gillesphey and broke towards goal on the left before cutting inside to the on-loan Ajax forward, who crashed a shot against the bar from the edge of the box. The Spanish striker’s follow-up was blocked. Charlton were next to threaten, Olaofe leaving Young on the floor - illegally according to the Town right-back - and taking the ball in on goal, however, Walton was out quickly to block as Davis came across to cover. But it continued to be mainly Town, Cajuste broke into the area on the left but his low pass inside was cut out. Soon after the fourth official indicated four additional minutes, the Addicks should have gone in front, Macaulay Gillesphey somehow looping over from inside the six-yard box after a corner on the left had somehow reached him towards the back post, the best chance of the half. Moments later, Azon and then Akpom were hauled to the ground as Town broke forward, Docherty picking up the game’s first yellow card for the second. Nunez took the free-kick and from almost 30 yards hit a well-struck effort which dipped late but landed on the roof of the net. That was the last action of a half which had been dominated by the Blues with Charlton, as had been expected, sitting back in numbers to frustrate the home side. Town had created a number of openings but with visiting keeper Kaminski not having been forced to stretch himself. Akpom’s strike off the bar was the closest the Blues had come to a goal, while the Addicks will feel Gillesphey should have done better with his late opportunity. Town will be looking for more of the same in the second half but with greater sharpness and guile in and around the area. Town: Palmer (Walton 24), Young, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Nunez, Cajuste, McAteer, Akpom, J Clarke, Azon. Subs: Furlong, Johnson, Kipre, Taylor, Walle Egeli, Szmodics, Philogene, Hirst. Charlton: Kaminski, Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey, Bree, Coventry, Carey, Docherty (c), Bell, Kelman, Olaofe. Subs: Mannion, Burke, Rankin-Costello, Berry, Knibbs, Hernández, Apter, Campbell, Leaburn. Referee: Farai Hallam (Surrey).
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