Oh Wilf! Was this the worst penalty ever?
From the highs of scoring a goal of the season contender to the lows of a scuffed penalty slowly drifting wide while a stadium points and laughs. Welcome back, Wilfried Zaha.
Suspension and the Africa Cup of Nations had kept Zaha away from Crystal Palace and the Premier League since Boxing Day. His manager, Patrick Vieira, this week told his player that it was time he turned up and did some damage.
Zaha did just that, scoring a scorcher in the 60th minute to rule out Norwich’s opener which came after 38 seconds. Yet when his chance came to turn matchwinner from the penalty spot in the 62nd, his standing foot slipped and his evening went from magical to miserable.
‘It was an unbelievable goal,’ Vieira said. ‘That was Wilf at his best. But the way we played, we should take the three points. We’re frustrated because there was the opportunity for us to win.’
Norwich had hoped for a third consecutive league win which would have lifted them out of the Premier League’s relegation zone. For now, they’ll remain in it, looking up at Newcastle.
They’ve got manchester City then Liverpool. Dean Smith’s side can consider those free hits. Norwich aren’t expected to take anything out of those games, so go for it.
‘We know the quality of the teams we’re coming up against,’ Smith said. ‘But the less fancied teams in this league can spring a surprise to some of the big ones.’
Norwich’s goal was the quickest in the Premier League this season and it was Teemu Pukki who got the party started.
It started with a great run from milot rashica down the left wing as he left Joel Ward in his dust. He crossed and Adam Idah cut the ball back for his strike partner, who took aim. He may have scuffed his shot, but it still bounced in off the left post for 1-0.
Pukki would have had a hat-trick inside half an hour were it not for Tyrick mitchell. First, Pukki looked poised to head home rashica’s cross until mitchell got there in the nick of time.
Then, with the goal at his mercy, mitchell slid in to stop the striker as he was about to score. Norwich were creating chances — the majority of them through rashica, who had Ward on toast — but weren’t taking them.
Palace had the ball in the net before the break. Jean-Philippe mateta did well to bring down a long ball before chipping Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn. The assistant flagged for offside. VAr Stuart Attwell checked and confirmed the call. Cue a collective sigh of relief around Carrow road. At the start of the second half, Gunn had to stop Jeffrey Schlupp from burying a shot into the bottom left corner. A smart save it was, too. Yet there was no stopping the rocket which would follow from Zaha in the 60th minute.
He cut inside and let rip with his right foot, finding the top corner for 1-1 and running directly to Vieira for a hug.
Two minutes later, mitchell was brought down by max Aarons. Penalty, said referee Paul Tierney, and Zaha stepped up. Here was his chance to bag the winner but he slipped as he took it and the ball went several yards wide. While Norwich fans mocked his misery, Zaha stared at the turf in disgust.
No winner here, but given the way they lost 3-0 at Selhurst Park in December, and the penalty miss from Zaha, Norwich will take this point.