Ipswich Town ended their pre-season training camp with a 2-2 draw against former Austrian champions Flyeralarm Admira.
The Blues fell behind twice during the match, but goals from Freddie Ladapo and Conor Chaplin either side of the half-time break saw them avoid defeat in Vienna.
Admira looked sharp in the opening stages. It took just four minutes for them to threaten from a corner when Thomas Ebner nodded Martin Rasner’s corner past the post. An early injury disrupted their momentum, however, as Ladapo’s powerful shot caught Rasner on the calf with the follow-through.
The lethargic tempo of the game worsened until Sam Morsy took aim from the edge of the area in the 11th minute, forcing a great save from Christoph Haas. The resulting corner bounced towards Chaplin in the box, but last season’s top scorer smashed it over the crossbar.
Town made a substitution in the 17th minute, replacing Wes Burns with 18-year-old Leon Ayinde. Rasner tried to play through his injury, but he was eventually brought off two minutes later after physios decided that he couldn’t continue. He was replaced by Raphael Galle, who took up his place in midfield.
Further knocks allowed both sets of players to have a break. Marco Wagner was brought off after pulling up shortly before the half-hour mark, allowing Jan Murgas to replace him.
Admira threatened again as Reinhard Young fired a bicycle kick over the bar from the edge of the box, but it was Ipswich who came closest to scoring after Ayinde forced Haas into a save from close range. Edwards rushed in to tap the rebound into the net, but Wilhelm Vorsager was able to get back and make the block.
A similar move almost saw the hosts take the lead in the 37th minute when Luke Woolfenden managed to slide in and prevent Ebner’s low shot from hitting the back of the net, but the Blues were unable to stop Nicholas Keckeisen’s towering header from the resulting corner less than 60 seconds later, handing Admira the lead.
The seemingly opener woke Ipswich up, as Ladapo immediately rushed forward to cap off a quick counterattack, bringing the ball down with his chest before firing a low strike into the net to equalise in the 39th minute - his fourth of pre-season.
However, they were pegged back within seconds as George Davies’ pinpoint cross found the head of Young in the middle. He rose above Harry Clarke in the box, lifting his header over Christian Walton to make it 2-1 in the 41st minute.
Ipswich looked to bite back seconds after the restart as Clarke played Ayinde down the right flank, allowing the youngster to pick out Edwards in the box. The winger tried his luck, but Lukas Malicsek made the block to prevent it from crossing the line.
The improved tempo saw tempers flare, starting with a poor challenge from Sam Morsy.
Then, in the 56th minute, Town launched a counterattack as Jack Taylor was given space to spin and play the ball forwards. Greg Leigh picked it up and crossed it for Ayinde, who headed it back into the path of Edwards. The winger took aim, forcing a sensational save from Haas before an off-the-ball incident led to the pair being separated.
The game started to open up. Some risky play from Walton allowed Jakob Tranzinska to shoot from distance, but the Ipswich goalkeeper made up for his error by beating it away at the near post.
Kieran McKenna opted to freshen things up for the final ten minutes as Cieran Slicker came on for his debut, replacing Walton. Ryan Carr and Harry Barbrook were also introduced for Clarke and Leigh respectively.
The Blues did find their second equaliser with 72 minutes on the clock as Admira failed to clear a goalmouth scramble from a corner. It allowed Chaplin to pick up the ball on the left side of the box, smashing it into the net from close range.
Both sides had chances to win the game late on, but the intense heat made it hard for either side to capitalise as the game finished level in the Austrian capital.
4-2-3-1: Walton (Slicker 70'); Clarke (Carr 70'), Ball, Burgess, Leigh (Barbook 70'); Morsy, Taylor; Burns (Ayinde 17'), Chaplin, Edwards; Ladapo
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