Norwich City vs Sheffield Wednesday. Sky Bet Championship.
Carrow RoadAttendance25,561.
Saturday 9 December 2017 21:21, UK
Timm Klose headed a crucial goal as Norwich overturned a half-time deficit to defeat Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday and land their first home win in three months.
The Canaries had managed only 18 league goals before the visit of Wednesday, and fell behind after 18 minutes when Jordan Rhodes stole in to nod the ball past Keiren Westwood.
But Norwich fought back after the break, James Maddison (55) following up on a save from Westwood to level before Klose (68) powered in a brilliant header to turn the game on its head.
Nelson Oliveira (90+5) rattled in a third from the spot in stoppage time after Barry Bannan felled Harrison Reed, and the result leaves the teams locked together on 27 points with neither side living up to their pre-season billing as promotion hopefuls.
Norwich started the day in 16th and made the early running, feeling out Wednesday without looking threatening in the final third, and it wasn't until Maddison scooped a decent opening over Westwood's bar that either goalkeeper looked concerned.
Wednesday grew in confidence as the half wore on, spending more time on the ball in the Norwich half, and took the lead after 18 minutes when Adam Reach and the excellent Morgan Fox combined to tee up Rhodes, who nipped in between two Norwich defenders to head home.
Norwich have struggled for goals this season and their woes continued here, Oliveira wasting the chance of the half when he side-footed past the post after Maddison capitalised on a slack pass from Bannan, and the Portuguese again went close when Westwood got down to beat away his firm header from Pinto's cross.
But the game turned after the break, Maddison beginning the comeback when he fired home on the rebound after Westwood had done well to beat away Alex Pritchard's fierce strike.
And Maddison was a key figure again 13 minutes later, when it was from his corner that Klose rose highest to power a header into the net as Wednesday failed to pick up the Swiss defender.
The visitors were left chasing the game but failed to find a clear-cut opening, and were made to pay for committing men forward in stoppage time when Bannan brought down Reed as the midfielder burst into the box and Oliveira recovered from his earlier miss to clip home the penalty and sink the Owls.
Daniel Farke: "It was important to end the tough run and to have a home win. It was well deserved. I'm really pleased with the performance, and all of the lads were brilliant. Even in the first half we had the best chances and they had one situation where they scored.
"I'm happy we didn't lose our nerves, and we carried on with our style and we were disciplined and focused. We stuck to our game plan and totally deserved the win."
Carlos Carvalhal: "We prepared the game in two situations; when we have the ball and when we don't have the ball. I talked about this before the game, we must be compact, solid and block the spaces, play with the lines together and we will put a lot of problems to Norwich.
"Really we did very well with this in the first 45 minutes. We scored the goal and should have scored a second. Second half, in a situation where we are winning 1-0, you can't take a goal on the counter-attack, in the fast attack."
Capped an industrious display with a fine goal to bring his team level just after the break and made Wednesday look uncertain every time he collected the ball in their half. Direct in possession and tenacious without, it was a complete performance from the midfielder which helped haul Norwich over the line.
Norwich face Leeds away in the Championship next Saturday at 3pm while Wednesday host Wolves on Friday at 7.45pm.
