Adam Idah made his first Norwich appearance since January in the Canaries’ 3-0 friendly defeat against Belgian champions Club Brugge on Wednesday evening in Roeselare.
The Republic of Ireland international, who has been linked with a return to Celtic this summer after a loan stint that landed the striker a league and cup double, played the opening 32 minutes of a tough work out at Schiervelde stadion.
Johannes Hoff Thorup’s squad were 2-0 down inside nine minutes through fine finishes from home captain Hans Vanaken and Gustaf Nilsson.
Ferran Jutgla added a third after the interval for the Champions League hopefuls, who featured City old boy Christos Tzolis on his home debut.
Norwich duo Shane Duffy and Christian Fassnacht were not included in the squad, having featured from the start in Saturday’s opening friendly at Northampton.
The club’s Euro2024 Scottish contingent, Grant Hanley, Kenny McLean and Angus Gunn watched on after linking back up with their club mates ahead of the trip.
Onel Hernandez and Liam Gibbs were also spectators pitchside, as they work their way back to full fitness after season ending injuries. Marcelino Nunez was another in attendance, but not involved, after returning from his Copa America stint with Chile.
Tzolis started for the ‘Blauw-Zwart’ following his second transfer of the summer from Fortuna Dusseldorf, who originally exercised a buy option after a successful loan move from the Canaries last season.
Former Liverpool keeper, Simon Mignolet, also featured for the Belgian champions in their final pre-season tune up ahead of Saturday’s upcoming Super Cup game against Union Saint-Gilloise.
Idah led the Norwich line flanked by Abu Kamara on the right of an attacking three, and Jon Rowe the opposite side.
Kellen Fisher earned another shift in midfield after his eyecatching display at Northampton, with Borja Sainz the left hand side of captain Gabby Sara in the middle.
In a role reversal from Sixfields at the weekend, it was City who fell behind four minutes in. Borja Sainz’s attempt to dribble out of his own area saw him trapped by Tzolis, who worked the ball to Vanaken to slot under the advancing George Long.
The Belgians doubled their advantage four minutes later, pinning City inside their own defensive third before Nilsson unleashed a rising right footed angled shot beyond Long from 16 yards.
Sainz cleverly released Rowe to burst the length of the field and earn the Canaries some respite with an opening corner in the 11th minute.
Tzolis turned on the power to escape from Jack Stacey, before checking back and clipping a strike from 14 yards that had Long flailing only to cannon against the outside of his far post.
Kamara’s lovely drag back at the other end worked an opening in the Belgian penalty area, but the cross went behind Idah.
Rowe then put too much on a slide rule ball for the returning Portsmouth loanee that would have created a shooting opportunity for the visitors.
Sainz slalomed his way into the area midway through the opening period but rolled a low strike wide of the near post.
Idah looked comfortable in Thorup’s system with his back to goal and some neat touches to bring runners into play. One such lay-off for Fisher demanded a swift return down the channel, but the youngster opted to check back infield.
Antonio Nusa tested Long in the 31st minute but the experienced keeper got down well to gather, before a stunning full-length stop to claw away Amine Et-Taibi’s close range header.
Idah made way in the 32nd minute in a pre-planned change after his first outing of the summer. Brad Hills replaced the Irishman, triggering a switch in personnel, with Jacob Sorensen moving into midfield, Sainz to the left-hand side of the attacking three, and Kamara down the middle in the space vacated by Idah.
Hills made his presence felt immediately at the heart of a youthful central defensive pairing alongside Jaden Warner, sliding in to halt a home counter led by Et-Taibi.
At the other end, Sorensen clipped a strike over the bar, after Rowe had stretched the Belgian defence. Then Kamara showed excellent awareness to roll in Sara, who dragged a shot at Mignolet from 16 yards.
Thorup made one change at the interval, with Jonathan Tomkinson replacing Warner at centre back.
Sainz squared to Rowe but the England Under-21 international miscued his attempted strike from 20 yards out.
But with the tempo dropping in the heat, Tzolis injected some urgency into a Bruges attack with a dart that saw Jutgla initially lose Sara with a clever stepover and then a sidefooted finish past Long from 16 yards.
Thorup made mass changes in the 63rd minute, with only Tomkinson and Hills remaining from those who finished the opening period.
Tony Springett found a pocket of space 20 yards outside the Bruges box, but his rising left footed effort flew into the empty terracing.
One of the new second half intake, Welsh youth international Elliot Myles, himself had to depart after what Thorup confirmed afterwards was a dead leg in the closing stages, with Bruges also making a rash of substitutions.
– The Pink Un will be providing full coverage of the Canaries’ time in Belgium, including both friendly matches against Club Brugge and Standard Liege, in partnership with Chips Away Norwich
Club Brugge (4-2-3-1): Mignolet, Romero (Talbi, 63), Tzolis (Audoor, 63), Vetlesen (Spileers, 63), Nilsson (Jutgla, 32), Vanaken © (Wylin, 72), Nielsen (Vermant, 63), Nusa, Mechele (Willems, 72), Seys (Lenn De Smet, 72), Et-Taibi (Yameogo, 63). Subs (not used): Jackers (GK), De Corte, Liam De Smet.
Goals: Vanaken (4), Nilsson (8), Jutgla (58)
Norwich City (4-3-3): Long (Mair 63), Stacey (Adegboyega, 63), Sorensen (Springett, 63), Warner (Tomkinson, 45), Montoia (Renecke, 63), Fisher (Djedje, 63), Sara © (Manning, 63), Sainz (Welch, 63), Kamara (Myles, 63 (Forsyth, 78)), Idah (Hills, 32), Rowe (Aboh, 63). Sub (not used): Finch (GK).
Referee: Lothar D’Hondt
FOR MORE NEWS CLICK HERE
Leave a Reply