Ipswich Town manager Gary O’Neil has voiced fierce frustration over a glaring penalty refusal that nearly cost his side during Saturday’s thrilling 2-1 Premier League victory over Fulham at Portman Road. While the Tractor Boys ultimately secured all three points thanks to a magical, stoppage-time comeback, O’Neil made it abundantly clear that Japanese speedster Daizen Maeda was denied a clear spot-kick during a crucial juncture of the second half.
With Ipswich trailing 1-0 and just 15 minutes remaining on the clock, Maeda used his electrifying burst of pace to surge past Fulham fullback Ryan Sessegnon and penetrate the 18-yard box. Video replays clearly showed Sessegnon clipping the heels of the Ipswich forward, sending him crashing to the turf in full flight.
Despite furious appeals from the Portman Road crowd and the Ipswich bench, the on-field referee waved play on—and a lightning-fast VAR check inexplicably refused to intervene or instruct a monitor review.
”Daizen Wouldn’t Turn Down a Scoring Moment!”: O’Neil Defends Star
Speaking in his post-match media conference, O’Neil was adamant that Maeda—a player renowned for his relentless work rate and directness—had absolutely zero motivation to simulate a foul when bearing down on goal.
“I’m only going off what people have told me,” O’Neil stated candidly regarding the incident. *”I haven’t watched it back yet, but I hear there is contact and I know Daizen very, very well.
“So I’d be very, very surprised if Daizen turned down that attacking moment to fall on the floor for no reason. But I guess once the referee hasn’t given it on the field, it then needs to be obvious for VAR to overturn it.”
O’Neil highlighted the systemic flaws currently frustrating Premier League managers, noting that VAR’s high threshold for “clear and obvious” errors often protects poor on-field officiating at the expense of fairness.
Overcoming Injustice: The 120-Second Miracle
Fortunately for O’Neil and Ipswich, the denied penalty did not prove fatal. Fuelled by a sense of injustice, the Tractor Boys produced an extraordinary late onslaught that blew Fulham away in the final moments:
- 89th Minute (Abdoul Ouattara): The 20-year-old Ivorian sensation smashed home a 25-yard left-footed screamer into the top corner to restore parity.
- 91st Minute (Dara O’Shea): Before Fulham could recover, defender Dara O’Shea bundled home from a crowded corner routine to seal an unbelievable 2-1 victory.
Thankfully, it means nothing in the end,” a relieved O’Neil added with a smile. “We take the three points, we learn, and we move forward.”
Man City Test Awaits Tractor Boys
Sitting proudly with three stoppage-time victories already under their belt in the 2026–27 campaign, Ipswich Town continue to prove they possess world-class mental resilience. With a blockbuster clash against champions Manchester City up next, O’Neil will hope refereeing decisions finally start falling in his side’s favor.
