Sun dey shine well well for Portman Road as Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough lock horn for one Championship match wey dey crucial for automatic promotion race. Both teams dey find way to bounce back from recent defeats wey dem suffer. Ipswich just see their nine-game unbeaten run cut short by Portsmouth for Fratton Park on Tuesday. Two quick goals from Conor Shaughnessy and Colby Bishop make dem collect loss for South Coast.
For Middlesbrough side, dem too suffer defeat from same Portsmouth for Riverside Stadium just few days before. Boro wey dey control their destiny for promotion after four-goal win for Queens Park Rangers on March 8, now dey struggle with six-match winless run. Dem don collect only three points from their last six matches, make dem drop to fifth position for table.
Kieran McKenna boys dey occupy second spot with two-point advantage over third-placed Millwall. Ipswich no dey fear for their home ground as dem lose just one of their 21 Portman Road matches this season. Dem don gather 46 home points, only Coventry City get better record with 49 points.
Jack Clarke dey carry Ipswich attack for this season with 14 goals from 41 appearances. Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn dey face pressure early for the match as he race out of his box to meet bouncing ball with teammate Adilson Malanda and Ivan Azon. Malanda try to hook away, ball pop up from Azon boot before Brynn deflect am with shoulder top.
Match start with plenty tension as both teams no dey give quarter. Mick Mills wey be former Ipswich and England captain talk say dem no fit get their game going properly. Middlesbrough no dey like to surrender midfield when Town get ball. Neil Maddison wey be former Boro midfielder talk say dem need to sort their shape for middle of park.
Ipswich dey build momentum as Ivan Azon try back-heel flick from Kasey McAteer cross but ball flash past upright. Alex Gilbert loose pass lead to free-kick for Middlesbrough but set-piece swing too close to keeper Brynn. Tommy Conway clatter Darnell Furlong as he try close down clearance but referee Jarred Gillett only give free-kick.
For injury news, Ipswich dey miss David Button because of hamstring problem, Conor Townsend dey recover from serious knee injury, and Ashley Young no available due to thigh strain. Middlesbrough dey miss Hayden Hackney because of muscle problem, and Leo Castledine wey arrive from Chelsea dey struggle with muscular issue.
Possible starting lineup for Ipswich na Walton; Johnson, O'Shea, Greaves, Kipre; Matusiwa, Neil, Mehmeti, Philogene, Clarke; Hirst. For Middlesbrough side, possible lineup na Brynn; Brittain, Fry, Malanda, Ayling; Browne, Morris, McGree, Hansen; Strelec, Conway.
Middlesbrough get good away record with 36 points from league matches, only Millwall get better away record with 37 points. Boro no lose for their last four away games and dem no taste defeat for Portman Road since December 2014. But Ipswich no lose for home soil since October and dem dey confident to collect three points.
Fans dey show support with blue smoke wey sweep across pitch as home fans let off pyros early. Atmosphere dey build for this whopping great game wey dey must-win for Middlesbrough and must-not-lose for Ipswich. As business end of season dey hot up, who go hold their nerve go determine promotion fate.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
