Ipswich stun Fulham with last-gasp comeback to increase heat on Arbeloa

Ipswich produced a dramatic turnaround to beat Fulham 2-1 after late goals by Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O’Shea extended Álvaro Arbeloa’s winless start to six Premier League matches.

The former Real Madrid manager had been on course to toast a maiden league victory in charge of the Cottagers after Ryan Sessegnon’s sweet 55th-minute strike put the visitors ahead. It would have eased the pressure on Arbeloa, but the Spaniard watched his team collapse, with Ouattara producing a spectacular 30-yard equaliser with two minutes left before O’Shea, the Ipswich captain, headed home in stoppage time to spark wild celebrations at Portman Road.

Fulham will spend another week in the relegation zone with only two points from six league games and they are now seven points behind Ipswich. A third win of the campaign for Gary O’Neil’s men moved them into the top half of the table.

Fulham started on the back foot but survived two early corners before the bright Ipswich attacker Julio Enciso curled wide from outside the area.

The visitors’ lackadaisical approach on the ball kept causing self-inflicted problems and their captain, Calvin Bassey, called for calm midway through, which was followed by Arbeloa’s young team slowly starting to gain a foothold.

With Josh King’s influence growing, Fulham could have broken the deadlock in the 22nd minute but David Affengruber headed over from a fine Alex Iwobi cross. Sessegnon sent an effort wide shortly afterwards before Sander Berge smashed a free-kick into the wall and Shea Charles sent the follow-up off target.

A lack of quality was evident but Berge’s next effort was pushed over by Christian Walton in the Ipswich goal before the £34m forward Gonzalo García lashed wide after a slick attack led by King.

Town had the first effort after a goalless first half only for Leif Davis to lift his free-kick high into the stand before Fulham had two penalty appeals waved away. García was incensed after he had a shot blocked on the line by Issa Diop’s arm after excellent play by King, but the former Fulham defender had his arm in a natural position.

However, remonstrations from the away side turned into celebrations when from the resulting corner, Sessegnon controlled Diop’s clearance and rifled the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Three minutes later both teams squandered chances with Emersonn heading against a post from six yards for Ipswich after a wonderful Enciso cross before Oscar Bobb blazed over.

O’Neil reacted with Jack Clarke, Chuba Akpom and Zian Flemming introduced and the hosts were furious when Daizen Maeda went down after contact by Sessegnon, but Lewis Smith and the video assistant referee rejected penalty appeals in the 75th minute.

When Bernd Leno thwarted the Ipswich substitute Sindre Walle Egeli, Arbeloa was minutes away from a first league win, but Ouattara produced a 30-yard thunderbolt into the bottom corner in the 89th minute before O’Shea headed home Clarke’s free-kick in the first minute of stoppage time.

There was still time for the Ipswich goalkeeper Walton to deny Kevin and extend Fulham’s winless league start.