West Bromwich Albion 2-1 Norwich City: Jed Wallace keeps Baggies' play-off hopes alive
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Jed Wallace's winner against Norwich was only his second goal of 2023
Jed Wallace scored West Brom's winner as they beat Norwich to ensure they go into the final day of the Championship season with a chance of securing a play-off place.
The Baggies came from behind after Josh Sargent had scored a superb opening goal that momentarily revived Norwich's own flickering chances of sneaking into the top six.
Conor Townsend levelled with a brilliant curling free-kick before setting up the vital Wallace strike in the second half.
West Brom still need either Coventry to lose or Millwall to fail to win on what promises to be a tense final day, while they travel to Swansea knowing nothing less than three points will give them a chance.
The Canaries knew that a victory would have given them an outside chance of edging into sixth place, but Wallace's goal prompted calls for the head of manager David Wagner, who has won just seven out of 19 league games since he took charge in January.
Norwich began brightly enough, with Christos Tzolis' direct running causing problems for the home defence, and when he fed Sargent a clever switch of feet by the United States international ended with him fizzing a shot just past the post.
The Baggies responded with Brandon Thomas-Asante racing clear, only to be denied by Angus Gunn in the Norwich goal, but they survived a strong penalty appeal when Semi Ajayi clumsily stood on the foot of Gabriel Sara right in front of referee Bobby Madley.
Gunn parried a powerful Ajayi header and Andrew Omobamidele came up with a remarkable block to stop Jayson Molumby's goalbound shot as West Brom pressed hard.
Norwich took the lead through a fine sweeping move from deep in their own half, with Dimitris Giannoulis leading the break and finding Sargent with a cutting pass. The striker took a touch and fired past Alex Palmer.
West Brom were level in added time at the end of the first half, when Giannoulis was penalised for a dubious foul on Karlan Grant and Townsend stepped up to curl a beautiful free-kick into the top corner.
That inspired the Baggies and on 56 minutes they grabbed the winner as Townsend raided down the left flank and threaded his cross through three covering defenders to find Wallace unmarked at the far post.
West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM:
"The players put in a lot of effort and commitment and that is why we will arrive to the last day of the season able to achieve something.
"Now we have to recover because what the players have next week is massive, and then wait for the other results.
"It was strong mentality that got us three very important points because when you play on Wednesday and then arrive today and start losing the game, it demands a good mentality.
(On Townsend's goal): "He is learning very well everything we teach him. This goal didn't surprise me because I saw him on the training ground making this type of delivery, but sometimes the players don't take the responsibility. This time he took it.
(On Wallace): "We have recovered a very, very good level of him. He arrived to the right space in the right moment."
Norwich manager David Wagner told BBC Radio Norfolk:
"Let's be honest, we have felt it in the last weeks when we have seen our performances, and the injury problems we have had, now losing Onel Hernandez as well.
"The key people at the club are committed to the plans we have in our head. Obviously it's frustrating and I got the reaction from the supporters which I totally understand. I can't speak for them but, for me, it wasn't a reaction from the game, it was a reaction from the whole season.
"The first half was good from the lads. They kept the ball in the right moments and were a threat on the transition as well.
"We should have had the lead earlier but scored a wonderful goal and didn't get the penalty we should have got. Then we conceded a free-kick which was a free-kick in our favour just before half-time. It was a very good free-kick but not to have the lead, 1-0 or higher, at half-time was very disappointing.
"We started the second half OK with some good turnover moments and the second goal we conceded was very sloppy defending. Afterwards, I have to be honest, we lost our structure and calmness in the right moments."