Match ends, Coventry City 0, Norwich City 2.
CoventryCoventry City0NorwichNorwich City2
Championship leaders Norwich City eased to a comfortable victory at Coventry City to extend their lead at the top of the table to four points.
Teemu Pukki put the visitors in front with a composed finish from Emi Buendia's perfectly weighted through-ball and the Finn returned the favour for Buendia to make it 2-0 just before the break.
Callum O'Hare got in behind for the hosts after the break but Canaries goalkeeper Tim Krul raced off his line to deny him.
Victory saw Daniel Farke's men put daylight between themselves and second-placed Brentford, who suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at QPR.
Norwich had ended a three-match winless run with a thumping 4-1 win over Stoke on Saturday and they picked up where they left off with a brilliant first-half showing at St Andrews, where they probably should have scored more than twice.
It was a familiar duo who did the damage for the visitors after Pukki opened the scoring with a crisp finish across Ben Wilson in the home goal from a defence-splitting pass from Buendia.
The Argentine attacker, who has assisted five of Pukki's 14 goals this season, was then the beneficiary of some great work from the Finnish striker to put the game beyond the hosts with the last kick of the first half.
Pukki pinched the ball off Sky Blues defender Kyle McFadzean 40 yards from goal, drove forwards and then unselfishly squared for Buendia to tap in.
Norwich host struggling Rotherham on Saturday while Coventry, who are three points above the relegation zone, have a home game against out-of-sorts Brentford.
Sky Blues boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:
"The second half was good, the first half was awful. In certain areas we looked like we were lacking confidence and we were making the wrong decisions and consequently we ended up in a really poor position. If you give the ball away to them then they can hurt you and that's what happened.
"If you're going to concede a goal, stay in the game, and in the second half you can have a really good go, but to concede the second goal gave the game away. We're giving too many rubbish goals away.
"The second half was much better and we have to get after teams whoever they are. Teams aren't having to work hard to score goals against us. We have to be more ruthless and clinical."
Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Norfolk:
"I'm pretty proud tonight. It was the perfect away performance against a side who is fighting relegation and desperately needs the points, especially in home games.
"We showed good game management and got back to the dressing rooms with a clean sheet. We know we have good players and are capable of dominating games and being nice on the eye, but the most important thing is to be effective and to win the games and we got the balance right today.
"I always want to score more goals but I also wanted the clean sheet today so I was pleased with the win. We are three points closer to what we want to achieve at the end of the season."
Line-ups
Coventry
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 13Wilson
- 4RoseSubstituted forØstigardat 45'minutes
- 5McFadzean
- 15Hyam
- 29Da CostaBooked at 4minsSubstituted forPaskat 58'minutes
- 8AllenSubstituted forBiamouat 45'minutes
- 25JamesSubstituted forKellyat 78'minutes
- 26Shipley
- 11O'Hare
- 38Hamer
- 19WalkerSubstituted forGyökeresat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Marosi
- 2Østigard
- 6Kelly
- 9Biamou
- 12Gyökeres
- 14Sheaf
- 16Pask
- 20Bakayoko
- 41Bapaga
Norwich
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Krul
- 2Aarons
- 5HanleyBooked at 17mins
- 34GibsonBooked at 70mins
- 30Giannoulis
- 20SkippSubstituted forTetteyat 90+3'minutes
- 23McLean
- 17BuendíaSubstituted forZimmermannat 88'minutes
- 8VrancicSubstituted forDowellat 69'minutes
- 14CantwellBooked at 84minsSubstituted forRuppat 87'minutes
- 22PukkiSubstituted forIdahat 90+3'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Zimmermann
- 7Rupp
- 10Dowell
- 16Quintillá
- 19Sørensen
- 25Hernández
- 27Tettey
- 35Idah
- 50Barden
- Referee:
- Jarred Gillett
Match Stats
Home TeamCoventryAway TeamNorwich
- Possession
- Home35%
- Away65%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away5
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Coventry City 0, Norwich City 2.
Post update
Foul by Adam Idah (Norwich City).
Post update
Kyle McFadzean (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Alexander Tettey replaces Oliver Skipp.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Adam Idah replaces Teemu Pukki.
Post update
Attempt missed. Viktor Gyökeres (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Callum O'Hare.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Christoph Zimmermann replaces Emiliano Buendía.
Substitution
Substitution, Norwich City. Lukas Rupp replaces Todd Cantwell.
Post update
Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Grant Hanley.
Booking
Todd Cantwell (Norwich City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Shipley (Coventry City).
Substitution
Substitution, Coventry City. Liam Kelly replaces Matty James.
Post update
Grant Hanley (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Viktor Gyökeres (Coventry City).
Post update
Dimitrios Giannoulis (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Matty James (Coventry City).
Post update
Attempt missed. Kieran Dowell (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Max Aarons.
Post update
Oliver Skipp (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
