Andrew Omobamidele nets 'bittersweet' first Norwich City goal in loss to Leeds United
Norwich City's Andrew Omobamidele and Leeds United's Rodrigo battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Carrow Road, Norwich. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA
Andrew Omobamidele marked a second Premier League start with his first Norwich goal but the Canaries still ended up losing yet again.
The Republic of Ireland defender, 19, cancelled out Raphinha's opener for Marcelo Bielsa's fellow strugglers but Rodrigo had the final say in five frantic minutes of second-half football that contained all the goals.
It left Norwich still winless, still bottom, and still on course for a record low Premier League points total. They have picked up just two from their first 10 games, have the worst ever goal difference tally at this stage of a campaign but at least someone not called Teemu Pukki has finally found the net. Omobamidele was named Norwich's man of the match; it was not undeserved.
"It is a bittersweet moment," he said. "I am proud to get my first goal but we are here to win games. We are disappointed with the end result. We have a great group of lads and there will be no pointing fingers. Confidence is just the thing we need. We need to keep improving."
Indeed. Leeds could have been ahead after seven minutes when Daniel James rounded Canaries keeper Tim Krul only for Grant Hanley to slide in and block his shot on the line.
Norwich responded with Pukki firing just wide from a half-cleared cross and Milot Rashica missing his header completely after Kieran Dowell had picked him out in front of goal.
Leeds were relieved when Mathias Normann scuffed wide from the edge of the box but then began a spell that saw Raphinha get involved on the right.
It was no surprise that Canaries boss Daniel Farke had rejigged his defence after the 7-0 humiliation at Chelsea the previous week, which saw Ben Gibson sent off and banned for this one.
Opting to leave both his recognised left-backs on the bench and draft in Omobamidele into that position was an eyebrow-raiser, however - but the lad from Leixlip stuck to that thankless task admirably as Raphinha's constant bursts, though sometimes heart-stopping for the home fans, were repelled before the break.
Leeds were committing a foul every three minutes, with referee Anthony Taylor eventually booking Rodrigo for a hack from behind on Normann.
Norwich reminded everyone why they have been struggling when Kenny McLean needlessly surrendered possession to allow James to sprint goalwards again; this time Krul got there first.
Jack Harrison was the next Leeds man to see yellow, for sliding in late on Aarons and the half ended with visiting keeper Illan Meslier turning Rashica's long-ranger round for a corner that saw Normann fire wide again.
Leeds went ahead in the 55th minute when Raphinha finally got the better of Omobamidele. The Brazilian cut in from the right and evaded the Irishman's lunge before drilling a low shot off Krul and through the legs of Hanley once more on the line.
Norwich hit back within two minutes when Omobamidele rose above Diego Llorente and Stuart Dallas to head home Rashica's corner but Leeds' second followed almost straight after that.
Krul won't want to see any replays as the Dutchman allowed Rodrigo's hopeful long-ranger to squirm under his arms. VAR checked whether Raphinha was offside but the goal stood.
Kenny McLean saw a header from a corner saved as Norwich began another retrieval mission and Farke sent on another Irishman in the shape of Adam Idah, who replaced USA international Josh Sargent, a man it can safely be said has not yet become accustomed to the pace of the Premier League.
Leeds saw the game out comfortably enough, however, with their fans telling their Norwich counterparts, who booed the final whistle, what they have already known for a while now.
"It was a deserved victory," Bielsa said. "They didn't create many chances."
Krul 5; Aarons 7, Kabak 6, Hanley 7 (Placheta 88), Omobamidele 8; Normann 6, McLean 6; Dowell 5 (Tzolis 69, 4), Sargent 4 (Idah 77, 4) , Rashica 5; Pukki 6.
Meslier 7; Shackleton 6 (Drameh 71, 5), Llorente 7, Cooper 6, Struijk 7; Phillips 6, Dallas 7; Raphinha 7, Rodrigo 7 (Roberts 88), James 6 (Forshaw 77); Harrison 4.
Anthony Taylor 6.
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