Norwich City vs Coventry City. Sky Bet Championship.
Carrow Road.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Norwich City and Coventry at Carrow Road as Mario Vrancic puts the Canaries in front from the penalty spot, but Max Biamou earns the Sky Blues a point.
Saturday 28 November 2020 18:22, UK
Championship leaders Norwich City got a taste of their own medicine at Carrow Road as a late goal from substitute Max Biamou earned Coventry a 1-1 draw.
The Canaries have made a habit of scoring late goals on their way to reaching the summit but the boot was on the other foot this time around as the Sky Blues scrambled home an 89th-minute equaliser to earn a point.
Norwich, who led through Mario Vrancic's first-half penalty, are still unbeaten in 10 games but will be kicking themselves for letting two points slip.
And they suffered another blow in the closing stages when defender Max Aarons hobbled off through injury.
With 12 players unavailable through injury and Emi Buendia suspended, Norwich were forced to name virtually all their fit first teamers in the starting line-up, with Marco Stiepermann deputising for the unavailable Teemu Pukki up front.
Such were Daniel Farke's selection problems that he was only able to name six substitutes, with five of those being members of the club's U23 squad.
The makeshift nature of the home team showed in the early stages as they struggled to find any rhythm.
Coventry wasted a decent chance to get their noses in front after 19 minutes when Jamie Allen was unable to convert a cross from the right from the excellent Fankaty Dabo.
But Norwich suddenly clicked into gear midway through the half, creating a couple of excellent chances before opening the scoring after 27 minutes.
Goalkeeper Ben Wilson did well to deny Stiepermann after the German had got behind the Sky Blues' defence and then made an excellent double block to foil first Josh Martin and then Stiepermann again after Przemyslaw Placheta's low cross had left him exposed.
But moments later Placheta found himself one-on-one with the keeper after latching on to a fine through ball from Alex Tettey and when the Polish winger was sent flying referee Keith Stroud pointed straight to the spot.
Protests that the keeper had got to the ball first were ignored and Vrancic fired down the middle to give Norwich the advantage.
Coventry might have equalised when stand-in keeper Michael McGovern dropped a tame header from Amadou Bakayoko, but no-one was on hand to tap home the loose ball and it was cleared for a corner.
After a quiet start to the second period, Coventry boss Mark Robins opted to freshen things up on the hour mark, with Tyler Walker, Jordan Shipley and Gustavo Hamer all coming off the bench, and Callum O'Hare quickly brought a decent save out of McGovern with a shot from just inside the box.
The visitors were having the bulk of possession without making much use of it against a strong Norwich rearguard and Robins added some more fresh legs with 15 minutes remaining, Biamou and Wesley Jobello coming on.
The new-look side almost levelled when Hamer's inswinging free-kick hit the far post before rebounding off a Norwich defender for a corner - and they finally got the goal they were looking for in the 89th minute.
Leo Ostigard put in an excellent low cross from the left and the ball fell kindly for Biamou who could hardly miss from close range.
Norwich's Daniel Farke: "With all the injuries we have I don't think too many people would have expected us to take seven points from nine since the international break. It has been a good effort from the lads and it is good that we are now 10 games unbeaten and in a top-class position in the table.
"Obviously to concede so late is very disappointing but I can't really complain too much. We have done well recently with the number of players we have out and today we were up against a good side who made it very difficult for us. A defensive mistake cost us in the end - but I can't be too critical of the lads because they have done really well recently in difficult circumstances."
Coventry's Mark Robins: "The goal we scored at the end was deserved, there's no doubt about that. The penalty wasn't a penalty. Ben has clearly come out and got the ball - then the momentum of their player has gone into him so really it should have been a foul for us.
"The goal we scored at the end he gave it a bit of time, there was a foul on Tyler, but their player played Max on and he gets up off the floor and sticks it in the net. We hit the post prior to that and were on top for a lot of that second half."
