Norwich City 1-1 Coventry City: Late Biamou strike clips Canaries' wings
- Published
Maxime Biamou's late strike was his first league goal for Coventry since February
Maxime Biamou's last-minute equaliser helped Coventry City come away from injury-ravaged Championship leaders Norwich City with a valuable point.
Mario Vrancic's penalty put the Canaries ahead after Coventry keeper Ben Wilson was adjudged to have brought down Przemyslaw Placheta.
Coventry hit the post with seven minutes left when Kyle McFadzean's header from Gustavo Hamer's ball beat home keeper Michael McGovern.
But they got a deserved equaliser at the death when Biamou fired in from a yard out after Ryan Giles' ball into the six-yard box.
The point stretches Norwich's unbeaten run to 10 games, but their lead at the top of the table remains a single point as Bournemouth were held at Rotherham.
After five points from a run of three games unbeaten, Mark Robins' Sky Blues move up a place to 20th in the Championship, now three points clear of the relegation places.
With 13 players out, the Canaries were forced to play Marco Stiepermann up front in place of the injured Teemu Pukki, while former Northern Ireland goalkeeper McGovern made his first start since a 5-1 loss to Aston Villa in October 2019 following Tim Krul's midweek injury.
Norwich could only field six of the permitted nine substitutes - five of whom were academy players alongside the experienced Christoph Zimmermann, while Coventry made five changes with Wilson making his first league start in place of the injured Marko Marosi and Friday's signing Lee Camp on the bench.
The Sky Blues went close after 19 minutes when Jamie Allen headed over from close range. However, that seemed to galvanise the Canaries and Wilson thwarted them three times - first stopping Stiepermann on the edge of the box, then making a fine double save from Josh Martin and Placheta - before giving away the penalty, which he hotly disputed.
Coventry started the second half well and Giles' near-post strike forced McGovern to make a good save as the home side failed to create many clear-cut chances - and they were made to pay thanks to substitute Biamou's late strike.
To compound the late goal, Norwich's injury problems also grew as Max Aarons had to be helped off the field in stoppage time.
Norwich manager Daniel Farke:
"With all the injuries we have I don't think too many people would have expected us to take seven points from nine since the international break.
"Obviously to concede so late is very disappointing, but I can't really complain too much.
"We have done well recently with the number of players we have out and we were up against a good side who made it very difficult for us."
Coventry boss Mark Robins:
"The goal we scored at the end was deserved, there's no doubt about that.
"The penalty wasn't a penalty. Ben has clearly come out and got the ball - then the momentum of their player has gone into him so really it should have been a foul for us.
"The goal we scored at the end, he gave it a bit of time. There was a foul on Tyler, but their player played Max on and he gets up off the floor and sticks it in the net."