Norwich 0 - 1 West BromWest Bromwich Albion’s Salomón Rondón stops Norwich bouncing back
Away team scorers
Jose Salomon Rondon 46
West Brom’s Salomon Rondón celebrates scoring his goal against Norwich at Carrow Road.
Salomón Rondón’s early second-half goal was enough for West Bromwich Albion to leave Carrow Road with all three points. Norwich City were looking to bounce back from a galling defeat at Newcastle last Sunday but could not make their early dominance pay as West Brom secured a narrow 1-0 victory.
Alex Neil dropped both of his full-backs following the 6-2 hammering on Tyneside but Norwich could not breach a solid back line from the visitors. With games against Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United to come in their next six Premier League fixtures, Norwich needed a result here but were toothless when it mattered – with West Brom’s record signing, Rondón, heading home less than a minute into the second half.
Wes Hoolahan had the first chance for a quick-starting Norwich, firing over after good work from Matt Jarvis and Nathan Redmond had teed up the Republic of Ireland international.
The visitors were slower out of the blocks but Chris Brunt’s drive still forced a smart save out of John Ruddy before Jonny Howson was next to miss the target for Norwich.
Neil’s side were really pushing the issue as Alex Tettey saw a rasping shot bravely blocked by Jonny Evans with Redmond finally drawing a save out of Boaz Myhill with a low drive.
Howson was shown a yellow card for tripping Saido Berahino and was lucky not to pick up a second booking moments later for a foul on Darren Fletcher – with the referee, Kevin Friend, giving him the benefit of the doubt.
A well-worked free-kick routine from the Baggies almost saw Rondón put them in front but he could not connect as he slid in to meet Craig Dawson’s cross.
Jarvis was enjoying his battle with Dawson and again managed to cross from the left with Redmond only able to send a shot over the bar on the slide.
West Brom’s attacks may have been few and far between but Brunt again tested Ruddy from distance with the England goalkeeper shovelling the ball behind for a corner.
Both sides came close before the break, first Dawson somehow missed a header from inside the six-yard box before Dieumerci Mbokani’s close-range chance was smothered by Myhill.
Rondón also headed over the top as the game opened up in the final five minutes of the first half – but the sides went in level at the interval.
West Brom needed no second invitation after the restart, though, as Berahino was freed down the right, playing in James McLean, whose cross was nodded home by Rondón.
Pulis’s side were now in control of the game as, for a third time, Ruddy was on hand to prevent Brunt scoring from outside the penalty area.
Norwich had no response as Russell Martin flashed high and wide from the edge of the box and they could not create a clear chance as they slipped to a fifth league defeat of the campaign.
Guardian
