Maresca frustrated by Chelsea ‘mistakes’ after Ipswich draw | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has said Chelsea were to blame for their ‘mistakes’ during the club’s costly 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town.

Chelsea dropped points for the second successive Premier League game after being held by relegation-threatened Ipswich at Stamford Bridge.

After Nicolas Jackson hit the post early on for Chelsea, Ipswich took the lead against the run of play. Ben Johnson’s low delivery was prodded home by Julio Enciso from close range. Confidence lifted, Ipswich struck again through the same combination before half-time. This time, Enciso lifted a cross to the back post where Johnson nodded in.

Chelsea regrouped after half-time and equalised just seconds after the restart. Marc Cucurella charged into the box to meet Noni Madueke’s cross and get Chelsea back into the game. Chelsea’s equaliser arrived 11 minutes from time and in brilliant fashion. Jadon Sancho took aim from the corner of the box and found the top corner with a stunning strike.

Maresca’s side were unable to find a winner, in a result that is damaging to their Champions League hopes. Chelsea move up to fifth, though Newcastle have two games in hand on the Blues.

“I think we started quite well, creating chances. Then when they scored the first goal, the game completely changed,” Maresca reflected in his post-match press conference.

“The dynamic of the game, I think for 20-25 minutes until the first half, we were not good enough, especially defensively, because the two goals we conceded were from our mistake.

“Then in the second half, we just came back in the game. There was a lot of heads in hands, putting your head in your hands, with the chances that were going by at the end.”

Asked whether dropping points to an Ipswich side destined for the drop could prove costly, Maresca said he expects more twists and turns in the top-five race.

“Yeah, at the end of the season, we’ll see. Hopefully not for us. But I think we are going, from now on, us, but the other six, seven clubs that are involved in the Champions League spot, I think we are going to win games, but at the same time we are going to drop points, because it’s normal. For sure, probably today you don’t expect to drop points, especially the way you start the game, because the way we start the game, I think for all of us it’s just a matter of when they’re going to score, and then we concede the goal and completely change the dynamic.”

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