Onel Hernandez was Norwich City’s hero as they made it 4 straight wins with a last-gasp 2-1 victory towards Birmingham at St Andrew’s. Hernandez, who spent the second half of final season on mortgage with Blues, swept residence the winner within the third minute of second-half stoppage time.
The 29-year-old Cuban winger’s first aim since scoring for Birmingham in a 3-0 win towards Luton on February 12 got here after Scott Hogan’s scientific strike 5 minutes after the break was cancelled out by Andrew Omobamidele’s equaliser within the 63rd minute. Hernandez’s winner made it a contented return to the second metropolis for former Aston Villa supervisor Dean Smith, now in command of the East Anglian outfit.
Before kick-off Blues introduced the signing of West Ham left-back Emmanuel Longelo on a season-long mortgage. The 21-year-old was at St Andrew’s to look at the sport.
Blues right-back Josh Williams was yellow-carded early on for a lunging foul on Kenny McLean and he was swiftly adopted into referee Keith Stroud’s pocket book by Norwich midfielder Kieran Dowell for holding Juninho Bacuna.
Dowell had the primary likelihood, side-footing large unmarked from 12 yards out from Max Aarons’ cross. It took a positive intervention by Blues’ on-loan Wolves defender Dion Sanderson to dam the hazard as Sam Byram formed to shoot following a unfastened ball.
That appeared to spark Norwich into life. Josh Sargent’s cross-shot was hacked off the road by Auston Trusty after the striker wriggled by way of and rounded former Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.
Blues took the lead within the fiftieth minute with their first effort on aim. Hogan tapped residence from Bacuna’s left-wing cross, which flicked up off Aarons after Jordan Graham’s chip into house down the road. It was the striker’s second aim of the season. Four minutes later Blues captain Troy Deeney crashed a fierce, rising drive over the bar from Williams’ cutback from the appropriate.
Norwich drew degree within the 63rd minute when centre again Omobamidele scrambled residence. Ruddy brilliantly tipped away Marcelino Nunez’s curling free-kick, however from the unfastened ball, Sargent gained a few headers because it bobbled round a crowded six-yard field earlier than the Republic of Ireland defender slotted residence.
Norwich ought to have scored once more quickly after however Teemu Pukki side-footed large from a pullback from fellow substitute Hernandez. The Blues went near a winner when Marc Roberts’ header from a nook was hacked away by Pukki.
But Hernandez rewarded late Norwich stress when he completed low previous Ruddy after latching onto Pukki’s go into house after a protracted ball flicked off Roberts.
Sheffield United moved high of the EFL Championship in commanding trend with a 4-0 win over former leaders Reading. A conflict between the highest two sides within the division had seemed an attractive prospect, however the residence aspect cruised to a one-sided victory at Bramall Lane.
Oli McBurnie opened the scoring with a header from Max Lowe’s very good cross after 11 minutes and Anel Ahmedhodzic volleyed residence from a nook simply seconds into the second interval.
Iliman Ndiaye put the end result past doubt shortly after the hour mark and Ahmedhodvic accomplished the rout with a glancing header 10 minutes from time.
Reading’s depressing night noticed them slip to fifth within the desk because of wins for Norwich, Burnley and Watford.
Watford additionally loved a last-gasp winner at residence to Middlesbrough because the membership celebrated 100 years of soccer at Vicarage Road.
Rodrigo Muniz gave the guests the lead after simply 4 minutes of his full debut, just for Ismaila Sarr to equalise and Vakoun Bayo to fireside residence the winner in stoppage time.
Burnley had seemed set to maneuver second because of Brazilian defender Vitinho’s close-range header within the 62nd minute and Jay Rodriguez stabbing residence the second 10 minutes later in a 2-0 win over Millwall.
QPR full the play-off locations following a cushty 3-1 win over Hull at Loftus Road.
Ilias Chair curled an outstanding opener into the highest nook after simply 10 minutes and targets from Manchester United loanee Ethan Laird and Chris Willock put the end result past doubt earlier than Tyler Smith’s late comfort.
Second-half strikes from Luke Freeman and substitute Gabriel Osho gave Luton a 2-1 win at Cardiff, with Romaine Sawyers drilling residence six minutes from time to arrange a tense end.
The solely draw of the night was between Wigan and West Brom, an early Josh Magennis strike cancelled out by Karlan Grant for the Baggies.
PA
Source: www.impartial.co.uk