MX23RW : Sunday, November 17 08:44:27| >> :120:20244:20244:
[monks data]
Attendance: 26,744
Norwich logo
Championship | Gameweek 43
Apr 19, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Sheffield Wednesday logo

2-2

Stiepermann (19'), Vrancic (97')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Forestieri (33'), Fletcher (53')

Norwich five points from promotion after rescuing late draw against Wednesday

Norwich five points from promotion after rescuing late draw
© Reuters
The substitute curled in a free-kick with seconds remaining at Carrow Road.

Substitute Mario Vrancic curled home a superb free-kick with virtually the last kick of the game to earn leaders Norwich a point from a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.

The visitors looked like they would come away from Carrow Road with a shock win after hitting back to lead 2-1, but the Sky Bet Championship leaders are renowned for their late comebacks and pulled off another to move five points clear of Sheffield United and Leeds with just three games remaining.

The Canaries had taken the lead in the 19th minute through Marco Stiepermann but the Owls were always in the game and equalised just past the half-hour mark when Fernando Forestieri netted with a brilliant long-range effort.

When Steven Fletcher scrambled the ball home early in the second half with what appeared to be his arm Daniel Farke's men were under pressure, but they produced a typically spirited response to force a dramatic draw which all but extinguished the visitors' outside play-off hopes.

Knowing they needed a maximum of six points from their final four games to guarantee promotion, the Canaries were quickly into their stride, with top scorer Teemu Pukki beating a couple of defenders in the box before firing just wide.

A couple of minutes later keeper Cameron Dawson, a late replacement for Keiran Westwood, did well to punch Stiepermann's fiercely struck free-kick away after being booked for handling the ball outside the area.

Wednesday added to the spectacle by making a game of it and had the ball in the net in the 15th minute after a slick move, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.

It was Norwich who were doing most of the attacking, however, and they went close again a minute later when Onel Hernandez saw his low shot saved by Dawson when a square ball to an unmarked Pukki would have left a tap-in.

But a home goal was coming. Stiepermann worked himself into some space on the right-hand edge of the box after an interchange with Hernandez and let fly from around 20 yards, with his low shot beating an unconvincing dive from Dawson and finding the bottom corner.

If the hosts thought that goal would open the floodgates they had another thing coming, with the Owls continuing to have plenty of the ball and equalising in sensational fashion in the 33rd minute.

There seemed to be little danger when Forestieri picked up possession midway inside the City half but once he had a sight of goal it was a different matter, with the Argentinian unleashing a wonderful shot from all of 35 yards into the top corner, giving Tim Krul no chance.

Norwich quickly regrouped and almost regained the lead on the stroke of half-time, with Max Aarons bursting into the box after a backheel from Hernandez and bringing a good close-range save out of the busy Wednesday keeper.

Ben Godfrey went close with a header from a corner as Norwich resumed on the front foot although it needed a brilliant reaction save to keep out another Forestieri piledriver a couple of minutes later after the ball had broken for him just outside the area.

The visitors then stunned the home faithful by taking the lead in the 53rd minute with a controversial effort from Fletcher.

After being picked out at the back post by a fine inswinging cross from Liam Palmer, the Scotland international appeared to bundle the ball past Krul with his arm, but referee Geoff Eltringham saw nothing wrong and the goal stood.

Norwich's response was a typically spirited one and midway through the second half they almost restored parity, with Kenny McLean only just off target with a header from an Aarons cross.

Fletcher then stung Krul's palms with another stinging drive as the game ebbed and flowed, but Norwich struggled to create clear-cut chances as the Wednesday defence held firm.

Bu the hosts won a free-kick on the edge of the area in the final minute of stoppage time and Vrancic curled it home to earn the Canaries a precious point.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '4805e9ed-1880-4757-94fc-243677b2d965');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:match-reports');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Mario Vrancic rescues point for Norwich with last-gasp goal'});

ID:356786: cacheID:356786:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6737:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Norwich City boss Daniel Farke gesticulates on February 2, 2019
Read Next:
Daniel Farke content with Norwich point at Wigan
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Packers
@
Bears
6pm
Raiders
@
Dolphins
6pm
Colts
@
Jets
6pm
Jags
@
Lions
6pm
Rams
@
Patriots
6pm
Browns
@
Saints
6pm
Ravens
@
Steelers
6pm
Vikings
@
Titans
9.05pm
Seahawks
@
49ers
9.05pm
Falcons
@
Broncos
9.25pm
Chiefs
@
Bills
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!