Chelsea's hopes of securing a Champions League spot took another hit on Sunday as they were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by relegation-threatened Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge. The result leaves Enzo Maresca’s side clinging onto fifth place in the Premier League, just a point above Newcastle United, who have a game in hand.

The Blues started the game brightly, with Nicolas Jackson striking the post early on, but it was Ipswich who stunned the home crowd with two quick goals in the first half. Julio Enciso opened the scoring in the 19th minute after a neat delivery from Ben Johnson, and it was Johnson himself who made it 2-0 in the 31st minute with a powerful header from an Enciso cross. The early lead left Chelsea disoriented, with their slow-build approach under Maresca drawing jeers from the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Chelsea came out for the second half with renewed urgency. Within seconds of the restart, they clawed one back, thanks to an own goal from Axel Tuanzebe, who was pressured into an error by Marc Cucurella. The hosts pushed hard for the equalizer, and it finally came in the 79th minute when substitute Jadon Sancho produced a moment of brilliance, curling a strike into the top corner from outside the box.

Despite heavy pressure in the final stages, with Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández both coming close, Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer pulled off a string of impressive saves to deny the hosts a late winner. Chelsea were left to rue their missed chances and defensive lapses, while Ipswich celebrated a hard-fought point that, though unlikely to rescue their season, showed remarkable resilience.

The result extends Chelsea’s winless run against Ipswich this season, following a 2-0 defeat at Portman Road in December. For Ipswich, the draw does little to alter their fate, still sitting deep in the relegation zone, 14 points from safety with just six games remaining. For Chelsea, it means more pressure in their fight for Europe, with tough fixtures against Liverpool and Newcastle looming on the horizon.