Norwich 5-1 Swansea: Josh Sargent double sets Canaries on their way to rampant win
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Norwich City and Swansea City at Carrow Road on Saturday; A Josh Sargent double, Lewis Dobbin, Ante Crnac and Emiliano Marcondes steer Canaries to rampant win.
Saturday 25 January 2025 15:36, UK
Josh Sargent scored his first goals since October as Norwich stayed on the fringe of the Championship play-off race with a 5-1 victory over Swansea at Carrow Road.
The United States international, who was starting for the first time after a lengthy absence through injury, fired the Canaries in front just before the break and then restored their lead immediately after Liam Cullen had levelled for the visitors.
Further goals from Lewis Dobbin, Ante Crnac and Emiliano Marcondes completed a deserved if somewhat flattering success, inflicting a fourth successive defeat over a poor Swansea side.
- Championship highlights | Table | Fixtures
- All you need to know - Streaming Sky Sports with NOW | Get Sky Sports
- Download the Sky Sports App to watch every Sky Sports+ game
- Live EFL on Sky Sports+ & how to watch | Get more EFL to your phone with WhatsApp
A cagey first half with little goalmouth action ended with a flurry of activity in the closing stages as the Canaries took the lead and almost added a second.
The breakthrough arrived in the 44th minute as Marcondes picked out an unmarked Sargent the box, with the American taking advantage of the space afforded to him to drill the ball into the bottom corner.
Norwich were quickly on the attack again and it took a good stop from Lawrence Vigouroux to thwart Dobbin after the on-loan Aston Villa man had burst into the area.
The hosts had had the better of it before then, although Sargent's shot across goal which was deflected just wide was their only clear-cut opportunity.
After a quiet start to the second half the game burst into life again with two goals in the space of a minute.
The Swans got back on level terms on 62 minutes following a neat move down the right which ended with Josh Key sending in a cross that was nodded home from close range by top scorer Cullen.
But Norwich went straight back up the other end to restore their lead with a second goal from Sargent, who again worked himself some space in the area to pick up Kenny McLean's pass and finish with aplomb.
The hosts gave themselves some breathing space on 76 minutes when they made it 3-1, with Dobbin opening his account for the club.
The wideman caught Key in possession just inside the Swansea half and ran through unchallenged before beating Vigouroux with a low shot to the keeper's right.
Substitute Crnac made it 4-1 on 84 minutes after latching onto a long ball from the back and outmuscling new boy Hannes Delcroix to find the net, before Marcondes completed the scoring with a tap in after Crnac's lob had come back off the crossbar.
The managers
Norwich's Johannes Hoff Thorup:
"Josh is a quality striker and we have obviously missed him - you could see what a difference he made today.
"He is a big voice in the dressing room and a big player on the pitch. They were two quality finishes and he also showed how good he is running behind defenders and finding space.
"It's great to have him back but we have to careful with him after a long spell out - it was 65 minutes maximum for him today whatever happened."
Swansea's Luke Williams:
"I thought we were marginally the better side in the first half but then we concede a goal at a dreadful time and go in behind.
"Then after we equalise they score almost immediately, another dreadful time to concede.
"After that the will to compete seemed to leave the players and it was a terrible end to the game for us. We collapsed and it was unacceptable - I just feel sorry for the fans who made the long journey today - they must be sick of the sight of me right now.
"It has been a poor run of results and it's important we bounce back quickly because we are looking over our shoulders at the teams below us now."
