Southampton get second win after late strike downs Ipswich

Updated: Feb 1, 2025, 07:28 pm

Southampton finally lifted the gloom of a woeful season by earning their second Premier League win after Paul Onuachu struck late in a 2-1 victory at fellow strugglers Ipswich Town.

With both sides desperate for three points to aid their battle for survival, it was bottom side Southampton who struck first as Joe Aribo's strike squirmed through home goalkeeper Arijanet Muric and into the net.

The home support, who have seen just one league win at Portman Road all season, did not have to wait long for a leveller, with top goalscorer Liam Delap slotting home on the half hour mark.

Ipswich wasted a host of chances to edge in front and they were made to pay for their wastefulness as Onuachu's goal three minutes from time helped Southampton close the gap between them and the safety zone to eight points, seven behind 19th-placed Ipswich.

It was a first win for Southampton manager Ivan Juric who was appointed on Dec. 21.

Paul Onuachu scored late to give Southampton a much-needed win against Ipswich.
Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

"I am really delighted, really happy for the boys, for our fans -- they are amazing and today everybody is very happy," he said. "Today maybe we suffered a little bit more but we had character with the ball and we won.

"We have to believe that every game is an opportunity and we have to try to play like this every game."

For Ipswich it was a crushing blow in their bid to climb out of the relegation zone.

"Very disappointing, it was an important game for us," Ipswich head coach Kieran McKenna said.

"We've got fourteen games left to try and make sure we write a different story for our season and hopefully we're not talking at the end about the disappointment of conceding late goals and letting points go adrift."