Ipswich Town 1 v 0 Hull City
EFL Championship
Tuesday, 3rd March 2026 Kick-off 19:45

Jakirovic: Ipswich Deserved One Goal
Tuesday, 3rd Mar 2026 23:41

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic admitted Town deserved to score one goal in their 1-0 victory over the Tigers, but felt his side had limited the Blues to very few clear-cut opportunities.

Azor Matusiwa’s first goal for Town in the 71st minute was enough to secure the Suffolk side their first ever double over the Tigers to move them back up to third in the Championship.

“I think that Ipswich deserved one goal, but they didn’t create a big chance until this goal,” Jakirovic said.

"After this goal, Ivor [Pandur] saved two in one attack, maybe they had this chance when we made a mistake in the right corner with Charlie [Hughes] and [Joe] Gelhardt [Pandur saved from George Hirst in the first half]. Defensively, we were good.

“This is the only way you can play against Ipswich because they are very good on the ball. A lot of possession, a lot of good players inside and unfortunately we lost the game.

“When we conceded a goal, after we showed that we can play, we can press them, we can push them, but unfortunately we didn’t score, even though we had some situations there.

“And also in the first half, some transitions, it’s a lack of better decisions. You can look at the other side, switch to the other side and Liam [Millar] will be alone twice against the goalkeeper. Maybe we can play better in those moments.

“It’s frustrating sometimes, but this is also quality. I cannot go on the pitch and take the ball past a player or have a shot towards the goal.

“I think our idea was good from the middle block to the low block with nine or 10 players but with three very fast players in front, and we will have our moments. And we had them, but we didn’t use them.

“This is football, OK, you can make a mistake. We were good defensively and just lacked these decisions in the last third.

“Ipswich are trying to play everything very fast, very quick, build-up, throw-ins, they’re trying to catch you when you are not organised there. This is also their quality.

“I am happy because we are there, we have 60 points and we will fight to the end.”

Hull host fourth-placed Millwall on Saturday, then travel to face Wrexham, who are sixth, in a week’s time.

Photo: TWTD

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armchaircritic59 added 23:48 - Mar 3 Sergej, if your team always play like that, I would imagine there are people at the turnstiles handing out free cups of coffee, to help the fans stay awake. No attempts on target, and lucky to get that!
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Clemcc added 01:05 - Mar 4 Armchaicritic59 - if they had no attempts that means our defence was good - doesn’t mean they didn’t try! I will be more worried that they DID have shots on target!
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Dissboyitfc added 06:18 - Mar 4 A well deserved victory,Nice to beat the low block for once. Bring on Leicester!
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Saxonblue74 added 06:53 - Mar 4 I didn't see the game last night, but sounds to me that he decided his team were not good enough to take us on? A bit odd to set up for a point given their position and away form
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cressi added 07:03 - Mar 4 It has obviously worked for them, but as dull as dishwater to watch were wasting time after five minutes, was not till Town scored did they try going forward. Got what they deserved Nothing.
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dunkleberrydog added 07:49 - Mar 4

A pragmatic response from a manager who knows his team’s capabilities. Hull have definitely punched above their weight this season, and have been particularly successful away from home. He has good tactics and has taken points from Middlesbrough, but not from Ipswich. We did enough to break them down and win the match. Not overly pretty, but full credit to our team and McKenna.

Brogan55 added 08:32 - Mar 4 Hull were poor and defensive.They got what they they deserved.It was obvious what there tactics were from the first goal kick!Well done Town.
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RetroBlue added 08:56 - Mar 4 Being defensive shouldn't be a dirty word. It takes organisation, discipline throught a team and skill to execute it effectively, and Hull did that last night. I thought they got their tactics right for 99% of the game from their perspective last night, but they didn't bank on a powerful Dutchman hitting his first worldie for his club. What a goal!
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55015Deltic added 09:12 - Mar 4 Funny comments I was worried they would come for a point. Totally outplayed poor Team Hull.
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PortmanTerrorist added 09:23 - Mar 4

Another manager coming, losing, and not talking utter bo**ocks. I actually thought they put in an exceptional defensive performance, never last ditch, and generally staying on their feet. Of course that compromises their attacking play, but was obv the plan to keep it tight and bring on McBurnie to change the dynamics and nick a goal. There are worse game plans and they were not that far off....but thankfully we played well enough to warrant the goal/win. And what a goal !

virginblue added 09:45 - Mar 4 Fans who think teams should come to PR and play expansive attacking football do make me chuckle. Swansea tried that at the weekend and look where it got them. Hull were extremely well drilled and McBurnie showed us what a handful he is second half. Not the most enjoyable game, but the result was the man thing.
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naa added 10:15 - Mar 4 Nothing wrong with knowing your limitations and playing accordingly. Not like we went to Arsenal last season and played a free-flowing attacking game is it? Nor would I expect us to next season if we get promoted.
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poet added 11:05 - Mar 4

The saying ‘clutching at straws’ springs to mind when reading this.
All you need to do to get an accurate picture of how the game panned out, is to look at the stats.
The team that refused to divert from playing football rightly and justifiably won. No disrespects to Jack Clarke, he played very well, but he really should have made it 2-0.

Football is a spectator sport and a form of entertainment that people pay a lot of money to watch. Clubs like Hull ruin that aspect of the game by deliberately deploying negative tactics that’s akin to watching rain drops racing down a window pane. They do it to try to get to the PL, where upon relegation, they will receive their parachute payments. Win lose or draw, we don’t always play well, but our ethos is to play the game as it should be played.
Hull are in the top 6, but you have to ask the question, along that journey to get there, can they say that they’ve contributed anything towards the well known words ‘the beautiful game’?

StowTractor added 12:43 - Mar 4 "9 or 10 players behind the ball in a low block but 3 fast players in front of that to try and attack"??? Don't think you are allowed to have 12 or 13 players on the pitch mate!!
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StowTractor added 12:50 - Mar 4 Also I don't think our throw ins this season have been very quick. But having watched Hull take an age to take any set piece last night I do understand why their manager might think we are quick.
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Cervantes added 12:50 - Mar 4 They came to disrupt our game and we're quite successful. Taylor could have made it 1-0, early doors, and Clarke should have killed it once the game became stretched. They offered little up front but did use pace, in the channels, when they were able. A well deserved win in my opinion.
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pensionerblue added 13:09 - Mar 4

It is about time referees clamped down on these time wasting tactics and I would suggest that Hull wasted around 10% of the match time delaying both goal kicks and throw ins. Next to Derby probably the second most negative team seen at Portman Road this season with their prospective opportunities limited to chasing a big punt up front and piling forward at corners. Thank goodness football prevailed and that we achieved the desired result. If we can get the away performances right we have a good chance of automatic promotion although top place might be beyond us. The result of our match against Middlesbrough at home might well be the deciding factor.

armchaircritic59 added 18:29 - Mar 4 Clemcc, fair point, hardly sabre toothed tigers, rather more no tooth tigers though!
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armchaircritic59 added 18:33 - Mar 4 I actually have no problem with teams coming to PR to set up shop, as most know what is likely to happen if it's " Open All Hours ". But they do need to realise it is allowed for them to have attempts on target, unless of course they simply don't want to win the game at all.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:45 - Mar 4 Its a tactic that all teams use if circumstances are right, even Town , so i dont make too much of it , if it gets the result you want hapy days , not fun to watch and wouldnt want my team playing that way every week ,
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