Norwich City went back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table thanks to a late Teemu Pukki goal at Ewood Park against a determined Blackburn Rovers.
It had looked as though the Canaries would have to settle for a draw in what was a tough slog for both sides, with Blackburn not having lost at home since October. Norwich went into the game ten games unbeaten and having only lost once away from home all season.
As you might expect, City dominated possession of the ball in a game that was short on clear-cut chances and not what the neutral might consider “entertaining.”
If I’m honest, a draw wouldn’t have been unfair on either side but, as has also become something that we expect, Norwich showed superior fitness, drive and determination as the game went into its final quarter and that sheer will to win was the difference.
With four minutes remaining, a slide rule pass from Mario Vrancic was played through to Onel Hernandez on the left and his low ball across goal was turned in from close range by the Canaries’ talisman, Teemu Pukki, baby!
Leeds face Aston Villa on Sunday and a draw there would do us a treat.
OTBC
Ewood Park
Sky Bet Championship
22/12/2018 3:00 pm
Attendance: 14202
Referee: Darren England
Blackburn Rovers | Norwich City | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
86’ Pukki | |||||||
Raya | Krul | ||||||
Nyambe | Aarons | ||||||
Lenihan | Zimmermann | ||||||
Mulgrew (c) | 45’ | Godfrey | |||||
Bell | Lewis | ||||||
Evans | 60’ | Tettey (c) | |||||
Reed | Leitner | 45’ | |||||
Dack | Buendia | 21’ | |||||
Armstrong | 73’ | Stiepermann | |||||
Smallwood | Cantwell | ||||||
Graham | Pukki | 90+2’ | |||||
Substitutes |
|||||||
Williams | 45’ | McGovern | |||||
Rodwell | Vrancic | 45’ | |||||
Rothwell | Rhodes | 90+2’ | |||||
Leutwiler | Hernandez | 21’ | |||||
Brereton | 73’ | Hanley | |||||
Downing | Srbeny | ||||||
Palmer | 60’ | Marshall |
Game Statistics |
||
10 | Goal attempts | 11 |
1 | On Target | 4 |
6 | Corners | 4 |
12 | Fouls | 14 |
2 | Yellow Cards | 3 |
0 | Red Cards | 0 |
39 | % | 61 |