Thomas’s bubble is Bers-t by a stunner
IPSWICH ended a five-game winless run after Bersant Celina’s stunning strike was enough to beat Leeds at Portman Road.
The Kosovo international’s effort midway through the second half secured victory for the Tractor Boys but Leeds had to play more than
50 minutes with 10 men after Eunan O’Kane was sent-off.
Leeds skipper Liam Cooper missed a glorious late chance to earn the away side a share of the spoils but Ipswich held firm.
O’Kane was sent off in the
37th minute following an altercation with Town left-back Jonas Knudsen.
The Leeds player raised his arm after the two players squared up to each other.
But Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen said: “There is no evidence that he goes to him. It was provocation, he went for that and he got that.
“From where the camera is there is no sign of him doing anything and I take my conclusion from what I saw.
“I believe if we play 11 against 11 we take the three points for sure.
“I am disappointed for the result. I am sorry for my players that we didn’t take something positive with us.
“I am proud because of the effort that they showed and everyone in the stadium also recognised that it was not right to lose this game.
“It was a nice goal, no doubt.”
Ipswich opened the scoring in the 67th minute when Celina cut in from the left and let fly with an excellent strike which beat Felix Wiedwald from 25 yards.
Town boss Mick McCarthy said: “Sometimes Celina caused us as many problems as he caused them, losing the ball, but that’s what you get with him.
“He works his socks off. He is a proper little character on the pitch. That one little bit of magic in the second half won us the game.”
The Whites have now taken one point from their last three games and stay just outside the play-off places.
McCarthy added: “I haven’t seen the sending off. Someone said it was a headbutt.
“If that is the case then he deserves to be sent off.”