soccer

'Not my job to score' - Ipswich match-winner Matusiwa

Ipswich Town midfielder Azor Matusiwa has told fans not to expect a goal rush from him after finally breaking his duck in his 34th game for the club.

The Dutchman's long-range strike was enough to secure a vital home victory over Hull City - and was reminiscent of some of the goals scored this season by injured team-mate Jaden Philogene.

Asked whether supporters should now look to him to be a regular goals contributor, he joked: "No, don't expect more. If I think I can do it, I will do it - but it's not my job."

The win moved Ipswich to within three points of second-placed Middlesbrough and eight behind leaders Coventry City, and was their third in a row, extending an unbeaten record at Portman Road to 12 games.

"It was a really good performance. We knew it would be a hard game and in these kinds of games, you just have to manage to win, it doesn't matter how," Matusiwa told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"It was a really good feeling. I asked for the ball from Leif (Davis) and thought 'I have to shoot' - it was a good hit. I knew when it left my foot it can be a goal.

"From the start, I've felt the love from the supporters, from my team-mates and the staff and of course you want to pay it back.

"Maybe it's better to score in this kind of game when it's hard to score. It was a big moment for me and I am happy to give something back."

The victory was the 100th for boss Kieran McKenna, who said of Matusiwa: "Everyone here knows how well he's doing, he's going from strength to strength.

"But over the course of a season you sometimes need your number six, your holding midfielder, to step forward and smack one in the top corner at some point, and he picked a good time."

Ipswich are at home again on Saturday when they welcome struggling Leicester City (15:00 GMT).

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