Brentford’s aspirations for European football gained momentum with a narrow 1-0 victory over relegated Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday. Kevin Schade’s header in the first half secured the win, pushing Brentford to eighth place in the Premier League standings with 55 points from 36 matches.
Despite a challenging season for Ipswich, who currently sit 18th with only 22 points, they started the match brightly. Early on, striker Liam Delap’s header was saved by Brentford’s goalkeeper Mark Flekken. However, it was Brentford that broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Schade capitalized on a corner delivered by Bryan Mbeumo, steering the ball into the far corner amidst confusion in the penalty area.
Schade’s recent form is noteworthy, as he has now found the net four times in his last three league matches. Mbeumo’s contribution also stands out; he is among just three players in the Premier League this season, alongside Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak, to have been involved in over 25 goals.
Yoane Wissa came close to doubling the lead immediately after the break, but his shot was skillfully thwarted by Ipswich’s goalkeeper, Alex Palmer. Brentford continued to press for more goals, with Palmer making critical saves to deny Mbeumo.
Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, expressed enthusiasm about their potential to reach European competition, stating, “(Europe) is extremely exciting… it is one game at a time and the next one is Fulham.” Brentford’s pursuit of the European dream remains alive as they face Fulham in their next match on May 18.
On the other hand, Ipswich’s manager Kieran McKenna reflected on his team’s efforts, saying, “We haven’t given up and that is going to be really important to the next stage of the journey… we pushed really hard for the goal at the end and we didn’t get it.”
With one match against Fulham and another crucial fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the horizon, Brentford’s chances for European qualification are more promising than ever. Their current form and fighting spirit indicate that something special could be on the horizon.