Match Report | Norwich City 3-4 Wanderers

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Substitute Atsuki Ito's first goal in Wanderers colours proved decisive as Steven Schumacher's side came out on top in a seven-goal thriller to earn a 4-3 victory at Norwich City.

In a frantic first-half which saw four goals scored, Norwich led through Mohammed Toure and Ruairi McConville, either side of Thierry Gale's equaliser prior to Gaizka Larrazabal's first goal drawing Wanderers level.  

The second-half proved just as enthralling, with Sam Dalby sending Wanderers in front three minutes into the half. Jack Stacey restored parity for Norwich on the hour before Ito's winner late on to secure back-to-back Sky Bet Championship victories and a first triumph at Carrow Road since November 2000.

Sunday's fixture in East Anglia saw Josh Sheehan make his 200th appearance for Wanderers in a milestone achievement for the Welsh midfielder.

Norwich were ahead within five minutes as Andre Brooks drove forward up field to set up Toure who powered a strike with his right-foot high beyond Gavin Bazunu.  

Wanderers levelled with a quick-fire equaliser three minutes later. Ruben Rodrigues won possession and moved the ball out wide to Gale on the left, who cut inside past Stacey to beat goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic with a low right-footed effort which found the bottom left-corner for his third goal of the season.

Norwich had the ball in the net again almost immediately, but Toure was adjudged to be offside when he turned in a low cross.

Wanderers threatened the Norwich defence after Gale ran into space down the left before delivering a low cross which evaded Dalby and Kylian Dong, as the hosts cleared.

Philippe Clement's Canaries reclaimed their advantage on 19 minutes as McConville met Oscar Schwartau's corner at the back post to power a header past Bazunu which went in off the post.

Midway through the half, Norwich saw opportunities from Schwartau and Brooks go wide of Bazunu's goal.

Pushing for an equaliser in Norfolk, Dalby's goal was ruled out following an offside on Dong in the build-up. Dong then struck just over the crossbar with his right-foot.

Wanderers's second equaliser of the game came in the 43rd minute when Max Conway's cross from the left dropped to an onrushing Larrazabal, who arrowed a fierce right-footed strike at goal from outside the box, finding the top left-corner.  

Schumacher's men made the perfect start to the second-half as Wanderers led on 48 minutes through Dalby. The forward profited from brilliant build-up play involving Larrazabal and Dong to dink his right-footed strike from the right-side of the box into Kovacevic's bottom left-corner.

Norwich levelled on the hour mark when Stacey thumped a right-footed strike across Bazunu's goal from inside the box from a tight angle having been picked out by Paris Maghoma's ball.

Buoyed from their equaliser, Brooks cut inside and unleashed a shot, however Conway was well-positioned to block the attempt before Maghoma's follow-up went high over Bazunu's crossbar.

Larrazabal went close to scoring his second of the game five minutes later, poking at goal from Dalby's pass, only to be denied by a full-stretch Kovacevic who pushed the ball around the post.

Bazunu was called into action, diving down low to his left to catch Jacob Wright's free-kick from 25-yards.  

Schumacher introduced Atsuki Ito and Samuel Iling-Junior with just over 20 minutes to go, in place of Rodrigues and Dong.  

The two substitutes made an instant impact, combining to create Wanderers fourth goal of the afternoon, which proved to be the match-winner, on 72 minutes. Bazunu's long punt from a free-kick was met by Dalby, who knocked down for Iling-Junior to head towards Ito's path, with the midfielder moving the ball onto his left-foot to fire low into Kovacevic's bottom-right corner from the edge of the box.

Wanderers navigated the final minutes of the game to earn an excellent three points on their travels and sign-off for the international break in perfect fashion.

The Whites return to the Toughsheet Community Stadium against Stoke City on Saturday 10th October. Purchase your tickets by clicking here.

Wanderers: Bazunu, Larrazabal (Simons 84), Toal (c), Davies, Conway, Sheehan, Erhahon, Dong (Iling-Junior 69), Rodrigues (Ito 69), Gale, Dalby (Bair 90+1)

Subs not used: Bonham, Famewo, Watson, Nelson, McAtee 

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