CITY 1 SWANS 1 - Key moments, ratings & stats

Norwich City’s faint Championship play-off hopes were ended with newly-crowned player-of-the-year Kenny McLean salvaging a 1-1 draw against Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.

The second tier’s top scorer, Zan Vipotnik, struck from the penalty spot, after Jose Cordoba had tugged the striker back, but McLean also responded from the spot when Lawrence Vigouroux felled Mathias Kvistgaarden.

McLean went close to a winner with an angled shot and a flashing header in a breathless finale, but it ended in stalemate at Carrow Road.

Philippe Clement’s squad needed a win to take their top six quest to the final day of the season, although if Wrexham claim at least a point at champions Coventry City on Sunday that would have also sealed the Canaries' place in the Championship for 2026/27.

Anis Ben Slimane replaced Amankwah Forson in the one change to the Norwich City starting line up from the midweek 2-1 win over Derby.

Ruairi McConville, Ali Ahmed are back on the bench after missing the Rams win. But Oscar Schwartau was still out.

McConville was sick in the warm up on Tuesday after initially being named in the starting XI, while Ahmed and Schwartau missed out with unspecified injuries.

The Norwich chief indicated on Friday at his pre-match media he woud not rush the likes of fit-again trio Lucien Mahovo, Papa Diallo or Jovon Makama back at this stage.

Swansea’s squad included the Championship top scorer, Vipotnik, and Adam Idah on his first competitive return since his Carrow Road exit.

Schwartau collected his Young player-of-the-season from outgoing technical director Neil Adams on the pitch, before captain McLean lifted the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy.

Cordoba had to get across to smother an early shot from Ronald inside the opening seconds. Norwich were soon on the front foot with Kellen Fisher having a shot blocked after sharp turnover work from Jack Stacey.

Pelle Mattsson then intercepted Ben Cabango’s pass out before Slimane was clipped by Goncalo Franco. But Paris Maghoma’s swerving free kick was claimed by Lawrence Vigouroux.

Slimane then helped McLean’s throw around the corner for the channel run of Mo Toure, but Swansea’s centre backs converged.

The same match up fashioned another big chance in the 15th minute, when Toure swivelled onto Slimane’s pass but Vigouroux clawed behind going to his right.

Harry Darling headed Liam Gibbs’ corner over from the second phase of that set piece before Norwich’s midweek matchwinner drilled a low left footer at Vigouroux with Maghoma on the overlap.

Swansea served notice of their attacking threat in the 18th minute when Ji-Sung Eom escaped down the left and picked out the unmarked Franco who miscued his half-volley.

Swansea’s aggressive press from the front caused a momentary alarm when Vladan Kovacevic clipped a ball towards Darling who turned over to Eom, but the home defender was able to head clear with Marko Stamenic looking for dangerman Zan Vipotnik.

After a 10-minute spell of Swansea control in midfield Darling opened up the field with perfect diagonal for the overlapping Stacey who crossed first time, but Cameron Burgess’ miscued near post clearance flew towards Vigouroux.

Stacey’s thrust and drive were looking a real promising attacking outlet, and from a ball whipped infield Slimane stepped over the ball intelligently for Maghoma to switch onto his left foot but Vigouroux kicked away the effort.

But the Swans’ stopper was far less certain when he came into traffic to try and punch Gibbs’ corner but Cordoba’s snap shot clipped Franco and slithered wide.

Maghoma then hauled himself to his feet tight to the corner flag to exchange a short pass with Stacey and veer around three but his delivery flew across the six yard box.

Clement opted not to make changes at the interval and it was Swansea with the first effort, when Eom tried from long range but Kovacevic securely gathered.

But Clement’s side were undone in the 53rd minute when Eom reversed a ball into Vipotnik who went down under a rash tug back from Cordoba, with the Swansea striker veering away from goal.

Vipotnik stepped up to send Kovacevic the wrong way from the spot.

Norwich tried to respond immediately when Slimane scuffed a first time effort at Vigourox after sharp interplay from Mattsson and Toure.

The fit-again Ahmed replaced Slimane in Clement’s first change but the Canadian international was booked for a nip at Malick Yalcouye.

Norwich lacked any of the creative edge to their play they had served up prior to the interval. Clement made a further double change when Mathias Kvistgaarden and Jacob Wright replaced Toure and Maghoma respectively for the final 15 minutes.

Melker Widdell hauled down Mattsson to earn the hosts a rare attacking platform in a laboured second half but McLean overclubbed his intended deep delivery and Darling smacked the ball against Cordoba.

But with time and hope running out Vigouroux went airborne to try and deal with Ahmed’s miscued hanging shot but only took out Kvistgaarden for a home penalty.

Captain and newly-crowned player-of-the-year McLean held his nerve to step up and smash the spot kick down the middle.

The Scot then launched a lung-bursting counter that took him into the Swansea area again, but his low angled shot was claimed by Vigouroux.

The all-action midfielder then attacked Wright’s inswinging corner in the 87th minute with a near post dart, but his header veered agonisingly wide for the home fans.

Kvistgaarden raced down the left deep into seven additional minutes before a cutback but Wright was a fraction away from getting across his marker inside the six yard box.

Ahmed and then Mattsson worked an opening for late arrival, Forson, but his first time curler sailed high into the Barclay.

Norwich City starting XI (Image: Connor Southwell/Newsquest)

32 Daniel Grimshaw (GK)

15 Ruairi McConville

16 Jacob Wright (for Maghoma, 77)

18 Amankwah Forson (for Gibbs, 90)

27 Jeffrey Schlupp

30 Mathias Kvistgaarden (for Toure, 77)

46 Errol Mundle-Smith

21 Ali Ahmed (for Slimane, 62)

Bookings: Mattsson, Fisher, Ahmed

Goal: McLean (83)

Swansea City XI (Image: Connor Southwell/Newsquest)

1 Andy Fisher (GK)

2 Josh Key (for Ward, 60)

7 Melker Widell (for Yalcouye, 74)

20 Liam Cullen (for Franco, 68)

21 Leo Walta (for Eom, 74)

23 Ricardo Santos

31 Ollie Cooper

33 Adam Idah (for Vipotnik, 60)

Bookings: Tymon, Stamenic, Eom, Widdell, Vigouroux

Goal: Vipotnik (53)

9: 0-0 Anis Ben Slimane is clipped by Goncalo Franco. Paris Maghoma’s swerving 18-yard free kick is at Lawrence Vigouroux.

15: 0-0 Toure swivels to hit from the edge of the area but Vigouroux parries at full length.

18: 0-0 Ji-Sung Eom escapes down the Swansea left and picks out the unmarked Franco, who miscues his half-volley.

35: 0-0 Slimane steps over Jack Stacey clip infield for Maghoma who switches onto his left but Vigouroux kicks the ball away.

36: 0-0 The Swans’ stopper comes into traffic to try and punch a Liam Gibbs’ corner and Jose Cordoba’s swivelling effort brushes Franco and flies wide.

52: 0-0 Eom reverses a ball into Zan Vipotnik’s path and Cordoba rashly tugs him back to concede a penalty.

53: 0-1 GOAL SWANSEA Vipotnik sends Kovacevic the wrong way from the penalty spot.

54: 0-1 Mattsson to Toure to Slimane but scuffs at Vigouroux.

80: 0-1 Norwich penalty. Mathias Kvistgaarden is taken out by Vigouroux who goes airborne to try and clear Ali Ahmed’s miscued hanging shot.

83: 1-1 GOAL NORWICH McLean hammers the spot kick down the middle.

86: 1-1 McLean slaloming run and shot gathered by Vigouroux.

88: 1-1 Jacob Wright inswinging corner met on the run by McLean but his glancing header veers wide of the far post.

Kovacevic 7, Stacey 7, Darling 7, Cordoba 6, Fisher 7, Mattsson 7, McLean 8, Maghoma 7, Slimane 7, Gibbs 7, Toure 7. Subs: Ahmed 6, Wright 6, Kvistgaarden 6, Forson 5.

MATCH STATISTICS

Possession: 50pc-50pc

Timed added on: 1 minute / 7 minutes

Referee: Thomas Parsons

Attendance: 26,454 (454 away fans)