Football Dec 24, 2025

Preston North End 1-1 Norwich City: Will Keane nets in stoppage time to earn point for Lilywhites

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Preston North End 1-1 Norwich City: Will Keane nets in stoppage time to earn point for Lilywhites

Substitute Will Keane grabbed an equaliser six minutes into added time to earn Preston a 1-1 draw with Norwich at Deepdale.

The 32-year-old, who came off the bench late on for Lewis Dobbin, nodded North End level from close range after Jovon Makama thought he had won it for the visitors.

Makama latched on to Emiliano Marcondes' delicate clipped pass before slamming the ball past Daniel Iversen in the 84th minute.

While the draw made it one defeat in six for Norwich manager Philippe Clement, the last-gasp equaliser will have stung as he bids to lead the Canaries out of relegation trouble.

Preston started the game in aggressive fashion and Thierry Small warmed the palms of Vladan Kovacevic from just inside the box in the opening stages, having robbed Kellen Fisher of the ball.

Dobbin fired narrowly wide from 30 yards as Norwich again lost possession trying to play out from the back.

However, the visitors started to grow into the match and Pelle Mattsson had a couple of goal-bound shots blocked, up against a deep-lying Preston back three.

Makama, who was a handful all game as he deputised for the injured Josh Sargent, nearly poked the visitors ahead in the 25th minute, but he was denied by the foot of the onrushing Iversen.

Both teams were struggling to carve out clear openings, but Kovacevic was the marginally busier of the two keepers, dropping low to collect another angled Small strike from the edge of the area with half-time approaching.

Matt Smith had Preston's clearest opening just before the hour mark, latching on to Andrew Hughes' flicked header, but he could only nod into the hands of Kovacevic from six yards.

Defender Hughes nearly provided a moment of magic in the 68th minute, letting fly from all of 40 yards, but his effort had just a little too much elevation.

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom made a triple substitution shortly, with Mads Frokjaer, Ali McCann and Andrija Vukcevic thrown into the fray.

Tony Springett, a first-half substitute for the injured Forson Amankwah, forced Iversen into an awkward block with a fizzing cross in the latter stages, with both teams sensing a breakthrough.

It looked to be heading for a stalemate until the lively Makama took matters into his own hands, rolling Hughes before rifling past Iversen from the centre of the box.

But Preston threw players forward and Keane managed to head a dramatic equaliser into the corner from the edge of the six-yard box to send the home fans wild.

Preston assistant manager Stuart McCall:

"Naturally, they're feeling very good, especially the lads who were involved in the goal. Both Will (Keane) and (Brad Potts) have been out for a long, long time so I'm absolutely delighted for both of them.

"In fact, it was the three subs that combined - (Andrija Vukcevic's) crossed it, Pottsy won a great header and Keano being in the box. There's no pace on the cross, it's a really good header, kind of looping at the goal, and it's a great finish. Naturally, it's a good feeling."

Norwich's Philippe Clement:

"I think it's the cruellest scenario you can have in football - to lose points, not in the dying minutes, but in the dying seconds of the game. The last seconds really. Of course it's a hard one to take because the team put in a good performance today.

"I think the result after this game is a deserved result - both teams deserved this point - but if you're leading them at the end of the game and you score a good goal (it's tough)."

Tags:

football report

Share this article

Related Posts

Sarina Wiegman: England Women head coach reflects on Euro 2025 win, Hannah Hampton's impact and Thomas Tuchel

Sarina Wiegman: England Women head coach reflects on Euro 2025 win, Hannah Hampton's impact and Thomas Tuchel

As Sarina Wiegman reflects on Euro 2025, a smile spreads across her face."It's still strange. Did this really happen?" the usually-stoic England head...

Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim says it is 'impossible' to replace captain amid injury absence

Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim says it is 'impossible' to replace captain amid injury absence

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says it is "impossible" to replace Bruno Fernandes as the captain faces a spell on the sidelines with a musc...

Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool: Reds survive to win at nine-man Spurs after Richarlison strike follows Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike goals

Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool: Reds survive to win at nine-man Spurs after Richarlison strike follows Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike goals

Liverpool scrambled to a 2-1 win at nine-man Tottenham, somehow surviving a chaotic finale which saw Richarlison pull one back and Cristian Romero sho...

Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim says it is 'impossible' to replace captain amid injury absence

Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim says it is 'impossible' to replace captain amid injury absence

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says it is "impossible" to replace Bruno Fernandes as the captain faces a spell on the sidelines with a musc...

Rory McIlroy seals legendary status, Luke Littler levels above, Lions and Lionesses roar: Sport's biggest stories in 2025 defined sport in 2025

Rory McIlroy seals legendary status, Luke Littler levels above, Lions and Lionesses roar: Sport's biggest stories in 2025 defined sport in 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, Your Site looks back at the sporting stories that defined the year, including Rory McIlroy finding the missing piece to the...

Man Utd transfer news: Kobbie Mainoo must 'fight for job' - and January signings possible, says Ruben Amorim

Man Utd transfer news: Kobbie Mainoo must 'fight for job' - and January signings possible, says Ruben Amorim

Ruben Amorim says Kobbie Mainoo “needs to fight for his job” and hinted Manchester United might be able to bolster their squad in the January transfer...