Pukki Salvage Draw For Norwich Against Newcastle

Ciaran Clark was sent off in the ninth minute for a foul on Pukki, but Callum Wilson gave the home side the lead with a penalty in the second half after the ball struck Billy Gilmour’s hand.

Dean Smith responded with an inspired substitution, Dimitris Giannoulis coming on to set up Pukki’s equalising goal – a venomous volley off the underside of the crossbar.

Smith made two forced changes to the side that drew 0-0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, Lukas Rupp and Christos Tzolis replacing Mathias Normann (pelvic issue) and Milot Rashica (groin issue) respectively, while Todd Cantwell missed out after a close contact tested positive for Covid-19.

After Jonjo Shelvey fired over from distance for the first shot of the game, the home side were reduced to ten men within ten minutes.

Brandon Williams sent a throw-in to Kenny McLean, who flicked the ball on for Pukki to run onto.

The Finnish forward through on goal, Clark saw no alternative to pulling Pukki back, subsequently receiving a red card from Andy Madley.

The resulting free-kick was taken well by Billy Gilmour, but Martin Dubravka dived to his right to make a good save.

Joelinton was next to shoot over the bar from long-range after Allan Saint-Maximin came inside and laid the ball off for him.

At the other end, City had a good chance with just under half an hour played when Ben Gibson picked out McLean on the edge of the 18-yard box. The latter found Tzolis, who put a tantalising ball across the face of goal.

Josh Sargent was at the far post, but former City full-back Jamal Lewis got back to block the chance.

Newcastle had a rare chance inside the penalty area towards the end of the first half after Joe Willock beat Max Aarons and Billy Gilmour on the left wing.

He crossed low for Wilson, who shot high and wide with a first-time effort on his left foot.

Tzolis cut inside from the left wing in the 37th minute, his shot deflected wide as the scores remained level.

On the brink of half-time, Aarons came in from the right wing to find McLean, who sent another shot high over the bar.

Tzolis then played a one-two with Williams on the left wing before firing straight at Dubravka, Joelinton shot over, and the two sides went into half-time goalless.

Dean Smith made one change at half-time, Pierre Less-Melou coming on for Tzolis.

But Newcastle took the lead when a Shelvey corner was headed by Federico Fernandez onto Gilmour’s hand.

After a VAR review, Madley pointed to the spot. Wilson sent his penalty kick to the right, Tim Krul got a hand on it, but the ball hit the bar and fell across the line.

Smith made his second change in the 67th minute, Adam Idah coming on for Sargent as City looked for an equalising goal.

Saint-Maximin then shot high and wide with Grant Hanley blocking his sight of goal, before Idah shot over at the other end.

Dimitris Giannoulis then came on for Williams in the 73rd minute.

Smith’s substitution paid dividends in the 79th minute. A good Gilmour cross was parried away as far as Giannoulis, who cushioned it back towards Pukki. He volleyed venomously off the underside of the bar on his left foot to equalise.

Lees-Melou had a great chance to win it in the third minute of stoppage time after winning the ball from Fabian Schar, but Dubravka made a save with his left leg.