Town complete final warm up game with 1-0 win over Nice

Axel Tuanzebe’s close range second half effort secured Ipswich Town a 1-0 victory over Nice in the Tractor Boys’ final warm-up match before the big Premier League kick-off against Liverpool next weekend.

Town should have extended their lead when Freddie Ladapo’s shot came off the post only for Marcus Harness’s effort to be saved on the line by Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka.

The French Ligue 1 team, who will be playing in the Europa League this season, missed a gilt edged chance to take the lead just a minute before the break when they were awarded a penalty but Mohamed-Ali Cho’s spot kick hit the post.

Ipswich were first to show their attacking potential.

Liam Delap found space on the left and the ball ended up in the penalty area where it was deflected out to Sam Morsy but his strike at goal was deflected over the bar. And from the resulting corner Cameron Burgess just failed to get to a cross from Ben Johnson.

Nice were dominating the ball with a series of slick passing movements as Town defended the Sir Bobby Robson end of the stadium.

But Ipswich still had their chances. Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric pinged a good ball upfield and Delap kept control to provide the foundation for an attack but the crisp move ended with a low Johnson cross just evading Delap in the box.

Nice suffered an injury setback in the 19th minute when Jeremie Boga had to leave the field with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and was replaced by Badredine Bouanani.

Town lost possession deep in their own half midway through the first period and Morsy’s attempt to get the ball back ended with him fouling Morgan Sanson just on the edge of the penalty area but Cho’s fierce free kick rebounded off the wall to safety.

Morsy’s shot from 25 yards out was deflected for a corner which resulted in Massimo Luongo’s effort also going out for a corner.

Ipswich had their first shot on goal after 34 minutes when Johnson fired straight at Bulka then fine work by Omari Hutchinson down the right led to him feeding Delap whose shot was beaten away by the visitor’s shot stopper.

Nice should have taken the lead a minute before the break when Axel Tuanzebe was adjudged to have fouled Evann Guessand in the penalty area after Edmundson’s poor pass out of defence was intercepted. Muric anticipated the spot kick and dived to his left but Cho’s spot kick struck the base of the post and rebounded to safety.

Leif Davis had to dive in to deflect the ball behind for a corner after Nice threatened down the left through Cho and Jonathan Clauss’ low drilled effort beat Muric but Edmundson blocked the ball on the line just as the second half got underway.

Town got their noses in front in the 58th minute thanks to Tuanzebe.

It came from a Davis high inswinging corner from the right which came off the back of Edmundson. The ball fell loose in a crowded six yard box and Tuanzebe reacted quickest to fire high into the net.

Ipswich then made wholesale changes six minutes later bringing on Jacob Greaves, Luke Woolfenden, Conor Townsend, Jack Taylor, Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin and Freddie Ladapo for Davis, Burgess, Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Luongo, Hutchinson and Delap.

Greaves outmuscled Cho high up the field and referee James Bell  allowed play to go on. The ball fell to Ladapo who teed up Chaplin but his thunderous shot was charged down by Brazilian veteran Dante.

Town should have gone further in front in the 74th minute when Ladapo’s angled shot came off the post beating the Nice goalkeeper. The ball bounced back to Harness who looked destined to score but his effort was kept out by the recovering Bulka.

A minute later Nice made their first changes with Tanguy Ndombele replacing Sanson, Gaetan Laborde on for Cho and Melvin Bard for Tom Louchet while Ipswich introduced Ali Al-Hamadi with Harness coming off.

Ladapo sent a super pass up the inside left channel for Townsend to sprint onto. The Blues full back charged towards the box and tried to pick out Burns at the back post with a bending pass which just failed to find the Town winger.

And with 85 minutes on the clock Nice introduced Victor Orakpo taking off Antoine Mindy as the game drew to a close