Raul Jimenez scored an added-time penalty for Fulham to draw 2-2 and keep Ipswich out of the relegation zone as referee Darren Bond awarded three spot-kicks in the second half.
Liam Delap put Ipswich back in front with a penalty of his own in the 71st minute which was awarded just 21 seconds after Jimenez equalized for the first time from 12 yards after Sammie Szmodics had opened the scoring for the visitors.
Referee Bond was at the center of a dramatic afternoon at Craven Cottage, only showing Ipswich left-back Leif Davis a yellow card for a foul on Harry Wilson, who was looking to score in the first half. VAR concluded that the defender did not deny the opportunity to score a goal.
“It’s hard to understand why it wasn’t a red card,” Fulham boss Marco Silva said. “It was a clean penalty – one of the biggest this season.”
The visitors took the lead despite the run of play shortly before half-time when Nathan Broadhead crossed from the left and Ben Johnson headed over the crossbar. Calvin Bassey put it straight to Szmodics and he shot past the Fulham centre-back.
Fulham dominated the first period, but Jimenez only headed the target. Marco Silva introduced Emile Smith Rowe at half-time and he headed over the bar.
Their pressure paid off when Sam Morsy tripped Wilson, but Bond dropped his appeals against the penalty. VAR intervened and overturned the decision, and Jimenez scored to equalize. However, Ipswich responded immediately through Delap’s outstanding penalty which was saved by Timothy Castagne.
There was more drama to come. Ipswich pushed for a third with Jack Clarke hitting the left post. Fulham hit back and Jimenez was tripped by Davis in the box for his third penalty of the afternoon which he fired into the top right corner.
Ipswich remained in the bottom three on goal difference, while Fulham remained ninth, four points behind sixth-placed Manchester City.
McKenna: The referee did a good job – they were all penalties
Ipswich safe Kieran McKenna told Sky Sports:
“When you lead twice, you always feel a bit disappointed that you didn’t win. I’m so proud of the way we played. We had a couple of chances to go two goals up, but we couldn’t take them.
“The referee judged well and it wasn’t easy to be honest because the crowd was quite early from the start.
“It wasn’t an easy game to referee and there were a lot of incidents and, in my opinion, I didn’t watch them all, I thought they were all penalties.”
Silva: We must be ruthless to realize the European dream
Fulham safe Marco Silva told Sky Sports:
“It was a great game by Raul Jimenez. He showed character and calmness.
“There are many positive things that I took from the game. In some moments we cannot receive as we are and we were punished by some mistakes.
“Everyone can talk about European hopes. I prefer our team to talk on the pitch. If you want to fight, you have to be much more ruthless and aggressive.”
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