A game of two penalties saw Norwich City draw their last home game of the season against a combative if uninspiring Swansea City side.
After Hull’s defeat at the hands of Charlton, Norwich knew that three points would keep them in the hunt for a play-off spot.
Despite a decent first half performance, the Canaries found themselves 1-0 down just after half time with Championship top scorer Zan Vipotnik making no mistake from the penalty spot.
Norwich failed to match their first-half levels for the majority of the second half although a fortunate penalty afforded them a lifeline back into the game.
Swansea goalkeeper Lawrence Vigoroux was adjudged to have collided with substitute Mathias Kvistgaarten, and skipper Kenny McLean scored the resulting penalty.
However, Norwich were unable to find a winner and so had to settle for a draw to round out their home campaign for the 2025/26 season, with the play-offs now mathematically impossible.
The fact that the Canaries were fighting for the chance to extend their season into their last home game of the season is remarkable considering that they lost their first seven home league games of their season and only moved out of the relegation zone in January.
Phillipe Clement and the first-team squad were rightly applauded during the customary end of season lap of the pitch.
Norwich were yet again involved in a game marred by penalty decisions.
Referee Thomas Parsons, in just his second championship game awarded both teams fairly soft penalties.
Jose Cordoba was penalised for interfering with Vipotnik as the Swans striker was dribbling away from the goal, yet despite the minimal contact a penalty was awarded.
Whilst Cordoba did not need to give the referee a decision to make, it seemed like another very soft penalty awarded against Clement’s side.
Shortly after, it appeared that Australian striker Mohammed Toure was cleaned out by Swansea, and ex-Ipswich, centre-back Cameron Burgess. Parsons did not award a penalty in this instance.
In the 81st minute. Mathias Kvistgaarten after attempting to get on the end of an Ali Ahmed delivery was subsequently on the end of some contact by the Swansea goalkeeper Vigoroux.
The cross had already been cleared before the contact, but the referee decided that this was deserving of a penalty and duly pointed to the spot.
Neil Adams presented Kenny McLean with the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy in the Carrow Road sunshine just before kick-off. This marked him winning the supporter vote to be named as player of the season.
The Norwich skipper was one of the only players to have survived the Liam Manning reign with credit in the bank, stepping up when times were tough and taking ownership for the teams’ failure even if he was not individually to blame.
When Clement became Head Coach, McLean stepped up to lead from the front and inspire the turn-around in Norwich’s fortunes.
Even against Swansea, with Norwich 1-0 down and looking short of ideas, the Scotland midfielder took control and pushed Norwich forward before slotting home from the post.
This typified the reliance Norwich place on their captain and he has proved himself to be the first name on the team sheet for yet another manager.
Norwich City are very fortunate indeed that McLean has now appeared over 300 times for them.
