Sheffield United vs Norwich City. Sky Bet Championship.
Bramall LaneAttendance30,035.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Sheffield United and Norwich City at Bramall Lane as the Blades came from two goals down to hold the Canaries before Teemu Pukki missed a late penalty.
Saturday 22 October 2022 19:19, UK
Teemu Pukki spurned the chance to earn Norwich victory and complete his hat-trick as a poor penalty ensured Sheffield United took a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane.
Goalkeeper Adam Davies made a comfortable save as goals from Ben Osborn and Ollie McBurnie earned the Blades a point following Pukki's first-half brace.
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom made four changes to the team that lost 1-0 at Coventry on Wednesday night, with John Fleck, Rhian Brewster, Billy Sharp and James McAtee coming in.
Norwich's Dean Smith also made four changes to his team from the defeat at home to Luton, with Isaac Hayden, Todd Cantwell, Marcelino Nunez and Dimitris Giannoulis joining the starting XI.
It was a fast start for the Canaries, who went ahead after just three minutes.
In for the suspended Wes Foderingham, Davies looked to clear the ball upfield but Pukki closed him down and his interception pinged straight into the net.
The away side doubled their lead in the 16th minute and it was Pukki who found himself on the scoresheet again after some poor Blades defending.
Anel Ahmedhodzic failed to deal with a long ball and the Finnish striker slotted into the bottom corner to double Norwich's advantage.
It could have been 3-0 after just half-an-hour but Davies made a big save to thwart forward Josh Sargent.
Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn had to make two smart stops to prevent the Blades from halving the deficit just before the interval; first from Oliver Norwood at his near post and then from a deflected Osborn effort.
After the break, Norwich wanted a penalty after Cantwell was challenged in the box by George Baldock but referee Josh Smith waved claims away.
Tempers started to flare just before the hour and the captains of both teams, Grant Hanley and Sharp, were booked following multiple altercations.
Pressure from the home side paid off in the 62nd minute. Sharp screwed the ball to the back post and Osborn finished well to give them hope.
Sheffield United had their equaliser after 71 minutes when defender John Egan headed across goal and substitute McBurnie slid in to convert at the back post.
United brought on Reda Khadra in an attempt to find a winner but could not convert any of their chances, which on another day would have cost them dearly.
In the 86th minute, Norwich substitute Liam Gibbs was brought down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Pukki had the chance to complete his hat-trick with the penalty but keeper Davies guessed correctly and saved low down to his left.
The home side kept pushing for a winner but Norwich remained firm and the points were shared in an electrifying contest.
Sheffield United's Paul Heckingbottom: "There wasn't too much difference between the first and second half. We defended and attacked in the same way, we just had more aggression in the second half. Norwich have got a good team of footballers who want a lot of the ball. Our aim is to finish above them and I expect them to be up there at the end of the season. Our centre-backs won more headers and tried to stop them playing in the space behind but Norwich probably had better opportunities in the second half on the counter.
"We all get bogged down with stats and tactics. Emotion, feeling, intensity - that is what wins matches. We want to play on the front foot and we may give opportunities away. That is my doing and my direction. I want to make sure every game we play in is a good game and that we are trying to win it. Against Coventry we made fewer errors than today and ended up losing. If we require no errors to win, that's what we have to try and do. It's the fine margins; that's how close it is in this league."
Norwich's Dean Smith: "Gameplan-wise we were really good for 65 minutes. We wanted to draw United onto us and I thought we did that very well. We scored two good goals and had a chance with (Josh) Sargent to make it 3-0 but the keeper's made a good save. We had some brilliant counter-attacking opportunities but we just couldn't finish them off. I thought we defended our box really well in that first half. Every time we broke forward we looked like we were going to create a big chance.
"In the second half we gave away silly little fouls and allowed the crowd to get involved. We let it become a bit of a basketball game, which we didn't need to do, but the game should have been put to bed by then. Penalties can be missed and I've certainly got no blame for Teemu. He played really well today and got two good goals. United have only lost one at home this season, this is a tough place to come. We've stopped the rot in terms of defeats but we're disappointed to not come away with the win."
