Championship leaders Coventry City suffered another costly setback on the road on Monday night, falling to a 2-1 defeat against a Norwich side fighting to pull clear of the relegation zone.
Frank Lampard’s team appeared to be in control when they took the lead shortly before half-time. Romain Esse, on loan from Crystal Palace, finished confidently seven minutes before the break after Ruairi McConville blocked an initial effort from Victor Torp, allowing the midfielder to capitalise.
Coventry came close to doubling their advantage moments later, with goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic producing a sharp save to push away Hadji Wright’s rising drive. That miss proved significant as the momentum of the contest shifted dramatically after the interval.
Norwich drew level just 35 seconds into the second half, with Anis Ben Slimane calmly converting from Ali Ahmed’s pass to reignite the home side. The equaliser energised the Canaries, who continued to grow in confidence as Coventry struggled to regain control.
The comeback was completed midway through the second half when Ahmed scored his first goal in English football, finishing from Papa Diallo’s pass to give Norwich a deserved lead. Coventry were unable to mount a meaningful response, extending their winless away run to six league matches.
The victory lifts Norwich to 18th in the Championship and underlines the impact of head coach Philippe Clement, who has overseen a steady upturn in fortunes since taking charge in November.
Despite the defeat, Coventry remain in a strong position in the promotion race. They stay three points clear of second-placed Middlesbrough and maintain an eight-point cushion over third-placed Ipswich, but this result will heighten concerns over their away form as the battle for automatic promotion intensifies.
