Norwich City vs Hull City. Sky Bet Championship.
Carrow RoadAttendance25,879.
Marco Stiepermann also on target on an evening boss Daniel Farke signed a contract extension at the club
Thursday 14 March 2019 07:26, UK
Norwich returned to the Sky Bet Championship summit with an impressive 3-2 win over Hull at Carrow Road.
A double from Emi Buendia (14, 60) and another from Marco Stiepermann (11) helped seal all three points on a night when it was announced boss Daniel Farke had signed a contract extension at the club until 2022.
Marc Pugh pulled one back on the stroke of half-time with Chris Martin also scoring late on for Hull (87) but it wasn't enough to prevent the Canaries from moving two points clear of Leeds at the top.
Despite the visitors starting brightly, it was the Norwich who opened the scoring in the 11th minute as Stiepermann weaved into the box and coolly slotted past David Marshall.
Buoyed by that opener, they doubled their advantage three minutes later as Buendia tapped home from close range after Onel Hernandez's initial effort rebounded into his path.
Hull were then given a lifeline in the 45th minute after a defensive mishap from Norwich keeper Tim Krul, under pressure from Frazier Campbell, presented Marc Pugh with a gift he duly accepted.
But those hopes were dashed on the hour mark as Buendia got his second, and Norwich's third, in what was the move of the match.
The Argentine found Teemu Pukki with a superb flick-on before receiving the ball back and slotting it through Marshall's legs to make it 3-1.
Hull struggled to contend with Norwich's intensity for the majority of the game but felt they could have had a penalty midway through the second period when Christoph Zimmermann appeared to slide into Pugh in the box.
Nothing was given for that challenge but Hull nevertheless set-up a nervous finish as Kamil Grosicki's cross was met by Chris Martin with three minutes of normal time to play.
The fluidity and speed of Norwich's forwards meant for large periods of the encounter Hull just could not deal with them.
Pukki often gets the plaudits with his goals while it is hard to also overlook Marco Stiepermann after his opening strike and assist for Buendia's second.
But it is hard to ignore Argentinean Buendia's brace and particularly his exquisite flick in the build up to his second and Norwich's third.
Daniel Farke: "I'm a bit relieved because the result is a bit ridiculous as it should have been a 6-1, 7-2 scoreline.
"In the end anything can happen and football can sometimes be unfair but we had one mistake in each half and it was punished.
"I was pretty annoyed by the situation and we were perhaps a little bit naive while we also missed an unbelievable amount of chances.
"The game should have been done by half-time but in the end I am relieved and very happy with the win and that we were able to bring it over the line."
Nigel Adkins: "We started the game very well in the first 10 minutes against a very good Norwich side but the goal we conceded was not acceptable at this level.
"For me it was two poor goals and then we are up against it; then Marc Pugh scores a great goal before half-time and it's game on.
"For 15 minutes after the interval we put ourselves in a position and it might have been a great touch for the third but again I was thinking we should have put a block in.
"I was disappointed with the goals we gave away and goals change games but take nothing away, Norwich are a very good side."
Both sides are back in Sky Bet Championship action on Saturday at 3pm.
Hull City host QPR at the KCOM Stadium while Norwich City travel to the New York Stadium to face Rotherham United.
