Will Keane's Late Goal Denies Norwich City Victory
Will Keane of Preston North End scored a dramatic equalizer in the dying moments of the match, denying Norwich City a second consecutive victory and preventing them from escaping the relegation zone.
The Canaries appeared poised to build on their previous week’s win against Southampton, with Jovon Makama finding the net from their only clear chance in a lackluster encounter.
Keane, who made his season debut after recovering from injury, came on as a late substitute and headed the ball into the net, extending Paul Heckingbottom's side's unbeaten streak to six matches.
Both teams were without their top scorers, as Preston's Daniel Jebbison, who had scored five goals in his last seven appearances, was absent, while Norwich's Josh Sargent was sidelined due to concussion protocols.
The match featured limited goal-scoring opportunities, with Thierry Small's shot easily saved by Norwich goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic and Lewis Dobbin sending a long-range effort wide. The home side looked more likely to break the deadlock.
Michael Smith, filling in for Jebbison, squandered a promising chance by heading the ball weakly into Kovacevic's hands. However, the visitors finally made their mark with five minutes remaining.
Norwich substitute Emiliano Marcondes assisted Makama, a summer signing from Lincoln City, who turned and dispatched a precise shot into the bottom corner.
In a frantic finale, Preston surged forward. Andrija Vukcevic delivered a cross to the far post, and after Brad Potts headed it back across goal, Keane connected firmly, nodding it past Kovacevic into the corner of the net.
Manager's Reaction
Norwich manager Philippe Clement spoke to BBC Radio Norfolk, expressing his disappointment: "Coming here against Preston, who are third in the league, and showing such organization and quality for 90 minutes, it’s hard to lose two important points in the final seconds. My team’s mentality was commendable, and it was a solid performance overall. Vlad [Kovacevic] was not overly tested but made some crucial saves, particularly with high crosses. In the last play, we could have managed the ball better, similar to our performance against Southampton, but it’s unfortunate to drop these two points."