Norwich, represented by Puki, started their season in the English Championship series with a loss. The Finn was under a lot of pressure when Cardiff won the match 1–0.
21:54•Updated 21:56
Goal stick of the Finnish men’s national football team Teemu Pukki opened his season in the English Championship in Norwich City’s shirt.
The opening game of Norwich, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, was a dull defeat. Cardiff City, who hosted Norwich, won the match by Romaine Sawyers 1–0 with a goal from a rebound shot.
The match turned out to be very challenging for Puki. The Finn has been very effective in his previous two Champions League seasons, but in the opening match of this season, he didn’t get served at all from his teammates, remaining very alone. Pukki didn’t manage a single shot in the match.
Norwich manager Dean Smith also found his top scorer unassisted against the Cardiff defence. Smith told the press conference after the match that the quality of the passes served to Puki was too weak.
– I think we dominated the game, especially the first 45 minutes. The final passes in our attacking third were not good enough. We lacked quality from them and I think that cost us the win today.
The press was asked if there was a lack of quality in Norwich’s scoring.
– Listen. We have a player who has scored a total of 55 goals in two seasons in this league. We have to find ways to feed him better, he concluded, referring to Puk’s statistics.
Pukki finally had to be replaced in the 79th minute of the game. For the Finn, the situation looked more worrying than it actually was. Pukki was left lying near the sideline after the contact situation, holding his leg.
However, manager Smith said after the match that Puki suffered from cramp, which is why he had to be taken off the field.
A kick aimed at Buck started a fist fight
The opening game of the season between Norwich and Cardiff was very competitive and hard-fought.
As the game heated up, two players were kicked out from both teams, Cardiff first Perry Ng and after him Captain of Norwich Grant Hanley were looking at two cards that turned from yellow to red.
Pukki also received particularly harsh treatment from the Cardiff defense. One of Cardiff’s after-the-fact contact with Ngn Pukki led to a scuffle that led to four yellow cards. Pukki, Ng and Hanley were at the center of the fistfight.
– The second half was quite chaotic. I saw that fist quite closely myself. Teemu was violated first and the player who violated him had to receive a warning. As he was getting up, (Perry) Ng kicked him again, which in turn earned him a caution.
– After that, Grant (Hanley) didn’t let him get away, but kept pushing him with both hands. That has to be a yellow card too, although I don’t know why he would poke Ng in the face, Smith recounted the situation.
Smith told reporters he was pleased with how his players kept their emotions in check.
Norwich continue their games next Saturday with a home match against Wigan Athletic.
Forss made his debut in a Middlesbrough shirt
Finland’s second national team striker in the Championship, transferred from Premier League Brentford to Middlesbrough Marcus Forss made his debut at his new club.
Last Thursday, the 23-year-old from Turku, who moved to the Championship club, got on the field in the opening game of the season against West Bromwich Albion. Forss’s first steps in the home team’s red and white shirt came in the second half, when 63 minutes were on the clock.
The Finn failed to score in his opening game. In the match, Forss was awarded one shot that went over the goal.
Middlesbrough led the match until the second period by Isaiah Jones goal, but West Brom equalised of John Swift by hitting The match ended in a 1–1 draw.
Forssin Middlesbrouh will play next time also this coming Saturday, visiting London at the home field of Queens Park Rangers.