Norwich City 1 – 0 Birmingham City

Norwich continued their dominance of the ball in matches this season with a total football display in a close win over visitors, Birmingham City.

As we have previously seen, possession is king for the Canaries who ended this game with a 73% possession stat although it was clearly the visitors’ game plan to sit back and allow Norwich to play in front of them.

The return of Todd Cantwell to the side also saw Teemu Pukki in the role of a second striker, playing off Jordan Hugill. That meant that there wasn’t a lot of width for the nominal wide players, Cantwell and Buendia but it did allow the two City full backs to effectively play as wingers, such was Birmingham’s packing of the centre to stop Norwich playing through them.

The game was settled right at the death when substitute, Super Mario Vrancic stroked home after Scott Hogan had been dispossessed by the excellent Lukas Rupp. It was a fully deserved winner for Norwich, who kept going till the end.

Back to back wins put City up into seventh in the table before Wednesday night’s games and just one point off third place with Wycombe Wanderers up next at the weekend.

OTBC

Norwich City				Birmingham City
Vrancic 87’
Krul				Etheridge
Aarons				Colin
Hanley (c)				Roberts			91’
Gibson				Dean (c)
Quintilla				Friend
Skipp			80’	Pedersen
Rupp				Sanchez
Buendia				Clayton			90’
Hugill			69’	Sunjic
Cantwell				Leko			55’
Pukki			85’	Hogan
Substitutes
McGovern				Andres
Vrancic			80’	Bela			56’
Placheta			85’	McGree
McLean				San Jose			91’
Martin				Gardner
Tettey				Dacres-Cogley
Idah			69’	Boyd-Munce

Game Statistics
23	Goal attempts	6
4	On Target	2
6	Corners	3
10	Fouls	12
1	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	1
73	%	27