Carlos Corberan salutes West Brom spirit as victory keeps play-off hopes alive

Posted Sunday, April 30, 2023 by PA

Carlos Corberan praised West Brom’s resilience as they ended a gruelling week by coming from behind to beat Norwich 2-1 at The Hawthorns and keep their play-off challenge alive.

Josh Sargent opened the scoring for the visitors in the 41st minute, but Conor Townsend equalised with a fine free-kick on the stroke of half-time and Jed Wallace fired home the winner in the 56th minute to ensure the Baggies would head to Swansea on the final day of the regular Championship season with something still to play for.

“I was very pleased, especially considering the physical challenge,” Corberan said. “We were playing against a team who had had one week to prepare for this. They hadn’t played since last Saturday, and we played Sunday, Wednesday and today again, with not many positives to rotate players.

“For me, the effort they put in is why I must give credit to the players.

“We created good chances, they are a dangerous team. When they broke through our initial press they had a good transition – that’s how they scored their goal. They brought danger to the game, but it’s true that if you analyse the first half, the normal score might’ve been 2-1 for us, or 3-2 because both teams had big chances.

“The players put in a lot of energy and desire. I cannot tell you that the performance and three points were as a consequence of any tactical organisation – it wasn’t. The result was the consequence of a high level of energy, commitment and strong mentality from the players.”

Norwich hit the front when Dimitris Giannoulis swept a pass into the path of Sargent, who sent a low strike fizzing into the net.

West Brom’s reply was swift as Townsend curled home a free-kick after Karlan Grant was brought down on the edge of the area.

And they completed the turnaround soon after the interval, good work from Brandon Thomas-Asante down the left freeing up Townsend on the overlap and his low delivery was turned home at the back post by Wallace.

Defeat ended Norwich’s lingering top-six hopes and manager David Wagner, whose side face relegated Blackpool in their final game of the season, is looking forward to a summer of change at Carrow Road.

He said: “For a few weeks we’ve planned and the plans are totally independent from the division.

“This is exactly what excites me for next season. It was going to excite whatever division we were in, because we know we have a lot to change and we will do. The good thing is that the key people at the club are committed and this is why everything we’ll build for next season excites me.”