Late drama as Under-23s draw with Norwich

Goals from Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Jack Roles either side of half-time got our Under-23s a point in the Premier League International Cup at Norwich City on Friday, but the match was marred by an injury to goalkeeper Brandon Austin.

Leading 2-1 as we entered the last 10 minutes, Austin seemed to land awkwardly at his near post as the hosts scrambled home for 2-2 and from there we were forced to carry on with 10 men, with all three permitted substitutions already made. Under-18s defender Maximus Tainio assumed duties between the sticks having played as a goalkeeper for a spell in his junior years and produced one notable save to prevent Anthony Spyrou from snatching victory for the Canaries. Our defence also did well to protect him by getting blocks in early.

The result sees us remain second in Group C with four points after two games and means victory against Athletic Bilbao at Stevenage on Wednesday is a must if we’re to progress to the knockout stages.

Roles saw an early shot spin just wide off a defender, Vincent Janssen tested Norwich goalkeeper Aston Oxborough from distance, Japhet Tanganga planted a header just wide from a corner and Roles was denied by Oxborough at his near post before our control of the game finally told with the opener on 35 minutes. Oakley-Boothe played a one-two with Janssen to get in behind the defence and slotted past the keeper with ease.

Our lead lasted all of three minutes, though. We couldn’t fully clear our lines after a corner and Saul Milovanovic crossed from the right, leaving Adam Idah to stick out a leg and produce a tidy one-touch finish from six yards out.

Anthony Georgiou was a constant threat with the ball at his feet down the left flank and set up Janssen to test Oxborough from a tight angle before we regained the lead with 20 minutes remaining. Roles nutmegged his marker to find Janssen on the six-yard line before receiving the striker’s return pass and converting at the near post from a tight angle on the left.

Austin made a great reaction save on his line to thwart Isak Thorvaldsson but proceedings took a turn for the worse on 81 minutes as the keeper palmed Josh Coley’s left-sided cross up but then got injured, with Thorvaldsson there to force the ball into the empty net for 2-2.

Following the resumption, stand-in goalkeeper Tainio saved well as Spyrou raced through down the right channel for Norwich, while the hosts had a couple of other shots during the added period that sailed off-target as our 10 men clung on for a point.

Key moment

Norwich’s second equaliser on 81 minutes was a late turning point in the game.

We’d looked in control of the contest at 2-1 up but Thorvaldsson’s close-range goal, coupled with Austin being forced to depart the action, took the wind out of our sails and in the end we had to defend resolutely to ensure we didn’t leave the Canaries’ Colney Training Centre empty-handed.

Coach’s view

Under-23s Coach Wayne Burnett was frustrated not to have emerged with maximum points, given our control of the ball for long periods: “I was disappointed that we didn’t win but I was more disappointed with our performance because we dominated the ball without really dominating their penalty box,” he said. “We had lots of possession without really creating too many chances – they looked dangerous on set-pieces and on the counter but apart from that, we were in control without threatening. I said to the players afterwards that we shouldn’t be happy to have seen out the game with 10 men – I’m looking beyond that. I was disappointed that it got to that point and disappointed that we hadn’t scored more goals because of the way we dominated the ball. We should have done better.”

Match data

Goals: Norwich – Idah 38, Thorvaldsson 81; Spurs – Oakley-Boothe 35, Roles 70.

Yellow cards: Norwich – Jones 9, Thorvaldsson 56; Spurs - Georgiou 50.

Referee: Alan Young.

Venue: Colney Training Centre, Norwich.

Weather: Light cloud, moderate breeze, three degrees.