Norwich City took the points at 2-1 against Birmingham City, and they did it without the run of play backing them up. The expected goals read 0.89 to Norwich and 1.79 to Birmingham, so this was a home side making the most of what came their way.
The goal timeline is not recorded in the match data, so the sequence of the three goals goes untold here. What the record does show is a scrappy, niggly afternoon: eight bookings across the ninety, starting with Ben Chrisene on 13 minutes and José Córdoba on 25, then a cluster around the hour with Jack Stacey, Oscar Schwartau and Carlos Vicente. Jovon Makama and Phil Neumann went into the book on 83, Ante Crnac on 90.
The telling number is shots on target: six for Norwich, three for Birmingham, from 15 shots and 14. Birmingham's goalkeeper made four saves to Norwich's two, and both sides created two big chances and scored one apiece. Possession split 51-49, so nobody dominated the ball — Norwich were simply sharper with the sight of goal they got.
