Rebel striker Oliveira restores Norwich manager’s faith in him
LONDON: Daniel Farke celebrated his first English Championship league win as Norwich’s head coach – thanks largely to rebel striker Nelson Oliveira in the 2-0 win over Quuens Park Rangers on Wednesday.
The Portuguese ace triggered friction between the pair with a show of defiance towards Farke after netting a late equaliser as a substitute at Fulham. Oliviera was then left out of the Canaries squad for a Carabao Cup tie and only made a brief appearance from the bench in Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat by Sunderland.
But Farke, who used to be in charge of Borussia Dortmund II, on Wednesday handed Oliveira his first start of the season and was rewarded with the crucial 48th-minute opener.
Unlike at Craven Cottage, there was no provocative reaction this time – just pure jubilation.
On-loan Southampton midfielder Harrison Reed finished off QPR with eight minutes left when he rifled home his first senior goal.
Oliveira was just one of five changes as Farke sought a winning formula.
By contrast, QPR were unchanged for a third straight league game – the first time that had been the case since 2011.
The visitors swiftly settled into the game and Jamie Mackie’s rising drive drew a smart early save from on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper Angus Gunn. But Norwich gradually began to get a foothold with Wes Hoolahan – replacing substitute Russell Martin as captain – revelling in the role as chief creator.
Oliveira blasted an angled drive into the side-netting, receiving a telling roar of support from the Carrow Road faithful.
It needed Hoops goalkeeper Alex Smithies to maintain a cool presence as the Canaries cranked up the pressure midway through the half.
Smithies, 27, pulled off a brilliant pointblank range parry from Marcel Franke’s bullet header. He also got his positioning spot-on to save a blast from Josh Murphy.
It will have frustrated Farke that Norwich didn’t break through during this spell – but there was one superb attack that will have encouraged him.
Just before the half-hour, Murphy triggered the move with a daring pass from deep inside his own half.
It flowed through several sets of feet before Murphy burst behind the QPR defence, only for his final ball to be hacked off the toes of Oliveira, lurking in the six-yard box. But there was a reminder of Norwich’s defensive frailties just before half-time when leftback James Husband dithered close to the box.
Conor Washington eventually robbed him and crossed for Mackie whose header from the angle of the six-yard box sailed tantalisingly over the crossbar.
The second half had barely begun when City took the lead through Oliveira.
It was a neatly-constructed goal with Hoolahan and Mario Vrancic key to it.
Bosnian midfielder Vrancic’s cushioned pass unlocked the Hoops backline and Oliveira was on to it in a flash to bury a 10-yard shot with his left foot. QPR almost hit back straight away with the unmarked Luke Freeman cracking a 15-yard shot straight at Gunn.
Hoops substitute Kazenga Lua Lua’s fizzing long-range strike also tested Gunn, who then saved Washington’s follow-up.
But Reed, 22, sealed the points with an 82nd-minute stunner.
He capped an energetic display by firing a right-foot drive into a top corner from 22 yards after QPR stood off him.
There was still time for the biggest roar of the night as Oliveira received a standing ovation when subbed with five minutes to go. — The Sun, London