Alex Iwobi shone on his first Fulham start making the first goal and scoring the winner as Marco Silva’s men beat a spirited Norwich City 2-1 to reach the fourth round of the League Cup at Craven Cottage tonight.
The Nigerian international, who has made a few impressive cameos from the bench after signing from Everton on deadline day, put the opening goal on a plate for Carlos Vincius by heading a clever free-kick from Willian across goal, allowing the Brazilian striker to prod home the simplest of finishes from close range. The lively midfielder than placed a precise finish past George Long and into the bottom from 20 yards after a lovely lay-off from Harry Wilson and hosts held on despite debutant Borja Sainz setting up a nervy finale with an emphatic finish following fine wing play by Jon Rowe.
Fulham held on to progress in the competition after an enthralling end-to-end encounter that didn’t seem devalued by both sides making significant changes to their regular sides. Norwich boss David Wagner made nine changes to the side that suffered at the hands of Portsmouth on Saturday and the visitors initially struggled to live with the Cottagers’ precise passing and power. The home attack was given another dimension by the regular forays forward of debutant Fedo Ballo-Toure, who popped up frequently in the final third.
The on-loan AC Milan left back won an early corner which Iwobi nodded over at the near post before a short corner was worked to Tom Cairney only for Joao Palhinha to waste a free header. Fulham did hit the front two minutes later when Iwobi got his head to Willian’s free-kick and Vinicius supplied the finish touch from barely a yard out. Willian might have doubled the lead shortly afterwards when he was allowed to surge infield from the left but the wily winger’s curler flew just wide of the far post – and Norwich nearly made him pay from their very next attack.
Przemys?aw P?acheta ghosted past Timothy Catasgne and squared superbly for Tony Springett, who somehow rolled his shot wide from ten yards out. Marek Rodak then made two smart saves in quick succession to deny Sean McCallum and Ui-Jo Hwang before Harry Wilson did superbly to set up Tom Cairney only for the Fulham captain to snatch at the shot. Vinicius was afforded the perfect opportunity to double his tally from Ballo-Toure but the Brazilian striker shot wide from six yards out.
Norwich came again after the interval with McCallum shooting narrowly wide from 20 yards after sauntering through the middle of the park. The Canaries went closer six minutes after half time when Fulham failed to clear a corner and Kellen Fisher’s first-volley clipped the outside of the past with Rodak rooted to the spot. Those lucky escapes seemed to prompt Fulham to lift their game. Wilson unselfishly teed up Vincius, who saw his effort blocked, before Iwobi’s follow-up was deflected away for a corner.
A clever set-piece routine followed with Willian picking out Wilson, who was lurking on the edge of area. The Welshman’s venomous volley beat Long but was headed off the line. Iwobi looked to secured the home side’s safe passage into the next round when he finished off a flowing move that began with Vinicius hunting down the ball inside the Norwich penalty area, but Sainz finished confidently at the second attempt after a poor pass from Palhinha presented Jon Rowe with the opportunity to run at the Fulham back four.
Substitute Rodrigo Muniz was denied by a superb save from Norwich goalkeeper Long when the Brazilian powerfully headed down a Bobby Decordova-Reid cross before Gabriel Sara shot wastefully wide in stoppage time as the Whites held on to reach round four.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Castagne, Ballo-Toure (A. Robinson 69), DIop, Bassey (Ream 83); Palhinha, Cairney; Wilson, Willian (De Cordova-Reid 79), Iwobi; Vinicius (Muniz 79). Subs (not used): Leno, Reed, Harris, Francois, Pereira.
BOOKED: Muniz.
GOALS: Vinicius (12), Iwobi (72).
NORWICH CITY: Long, Fisher, Warner, Gibson, McCallum, Forshaw (Sara 70), Gibbs, Hernandez (Idah 63), Springett (Rowe 70), Placheta (Sainz 63), Ui-Jo (McLean 77). Subs (not used): Fassnacht, Duffy, Reyes.
BOOKED: McCallum, Placheta, Warner.
GOAL: Sainz (75).
REFEREE: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
ATTENDANCE: 12,831
