Southampton vs Ipswich Town; Sky Bet Championship
Southampton vs Ipswich Town. Sky Bet Championship.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance31,180.
Southampton 2
- R Manning (58th minute)
- C Larin (80th minute)
Ipswich Town 2
- W Burns (48th minute)
- J Clarke (87th minute)
Southampton 2-2 Ipswich: Jack Clarke earns late point for Tractor Boys to take Championship promotion race to final day
A draw leaves Tractor Boys a point clear in second and sends Saints to the play-offs; Ipswich will be promoted with final-day win on Saturday but Millwall and Middlesbrough still in the race
Wednesday 29 April 2026 10:09, UK
Jack Clarke struck a late equaliser for Ipswich to end Southampton's automatic-promotion dream in an enthralling 2-2 draw, which will take the race for the Premier League to the final day.
Southampton knew they needed a victory to take their charge towards second into the final day, but Clarke's late goal knocked them out of the race to finish as runners-up to Coventry.
- Got Sky? Watch your EFL team on the Sky Sports app | Not got Sky? Stream your EFL team with no contract
- Championship fixtures | Championship table | Championship highlights
Ipswich, who host QPR on the final day, are now a point clear of Millwall and two clear of Middlesbrough heading into Saturday's lunchtime finale, with every game live on Sky Sports.
Millwall are at home to already-relegated Oxford United while Middlesbrough head to Wrexham, who need a result themselves to book a place in the play-offs ahead of Hull and Derby.
Saints will be in the play-offs and they face Preston on the final day.
Final day promotion permutations
- Ipswich will be promoted as runners-up to champions Coventry with victory over QPR. Ipswich will be promoted even if they lose or draw so long as Millwall and Middlesbrough fail to win.
- Millwall will be promoted if they win and Ipswich fail to beat QPR.
- Middlesbrough will be promoted if they win, Ipswich lose and Millwall fail to win. If Ipswich draw, then Middlesbrough would need to win and overcome a five-goal difference deficit to Ipswich.
Twists and turns at St Mary's as Ipswich strike back to hold Saints
After a tense first half, the game exploded into life in the second.
After Jacob Greaves dispossessed Tom Fellows in midfield and lifted the ball over the top, Ivan Azon nodded across the box for Burns to lash beyond Daniel Peretz.
The advantage only lasted 10 minutes. Greaves was booked for a lunging challenge on Finn Azaz just outside the Town box and from the resulting free-kick, Manning’s low effort flicked off Marcelino Nunez to fly into the roof of the net via the leg of the wrong-footed Walton.
Southampton knew only victory would be good enough to keep them in contention for a top-two finish.
A moment of magic turned the match in the home side’s favour in the 80th minute.
Manning drove forward and slid a pass into Canada international Larin, who calmly stepped inside Greaves and Leif Davis to stab the ball beyond Walton.
A four-way final-day promotion shoot-out was on the cards but Clarke hauled Ipswich level three minutes from time by firing his 16th league goal of the season into the bottom right corner.
The winger twice came close to a late winner, striking a post and then forcing a last-gasp save out of Peretz while Darnell Furlong also headed narrowly wide as a breathless encounter ended all square.
How the goals went in...
Eckert: It's crunch time now... we need to get ready for the play-offs
Southampton boss Tonda Eckert speaking to Sky Sports:
"We kept pushing and compliments to Ipswich today, it was two teams finishing on a high off the back of a very tough schedule.
"I would have loved to have won it today, but overall it was a very good game. You saw the dedication and we tried everything to win the game.
"It's crunch time now, but we have clarity and we need to get ready for the play-offs."
McKenna: I loved our performance
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna speaking to Sky Sports:
"I thought it was an outstanding game. One of the best in my time, certainly in the Championship, I'll put it right up there. I thought it was a top game. I loved our performance.
"To do that at this stage of the season, here with the form they're in, I think is a great sign for where we're at as a group.
"You probably can't come much closer to getting promoted than we were at the end, in terms of a matter of inches from the ball going in the net.
"But I loved where we're at, and we look forward to Saturday."
The final day fixtures in the Championship - all games kick off at 12.30pm
Blackburn vs Leicester City
Bristol City vs Stoke City
Derby County vs Sheffield United
Hull City vs Norwich City
Ipswich vs QPR
Millwall vs Oxford United
Portsmouth vs Birmingham
Preston vs Southampton
Sheffield Wednesday vs West Brom
Swansea vs Charlton
Watford vs Coventry City
Wrexham vs Middlesbrough