Norwich City opened their 2022/23 Championship campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Cardiff City in South Wales.
Romaine Sawyers, a player managed by Dean Smith at both Walsall and Brentford, delivered the fatal blow with a swerving shot just after the interval that decided the game.
City have now won just two of their last 20 games on opening day, with a desire to shift the narrative from last season falling at the first attempt.
Both sides ended the contest with 10 men after both Perry Ng and Grant Hanley saw red for second bookable offences. Teemu Pukki also limped out of the Canaries' defeat.
Norwich's next fixture sees them host newly promoted Wigan at Carrow Road next Saturday.
Cardiff City
(4-3-3)
SUBS:
21 Alnwick (GK)
8 Ralls (on for Watters, 59)
12 Sang (on for Rinomhota, 81)
14 Tanner
16 Nelson (on for Ojo, 75)
20 Whyte (on for O'Dowda, 81)
29 Harris (on for Sawyers, 59)
Manager: Steve Morison
- Bookings: O'Dwoda (dissent, 54), Ralls (unsportsmanlike conduct, 70), Ng (foul on Pukki, 70), Rinomhota (unsportsmanlike conduct, 70)
- Red card: Ng (second bookable offence, 74)
Norwich City
(4-2-3-1)
SUBS:
28 Gunn (GK)
9 Hugill (on for Pukki, 79)
15 McCallum (on for Giannoulis, 84)
21 Sinani (on for Sargent, 72)
25 Hernandez (on for Rashica, 84)
45 Tomkinson
46 Gibbs (on for Sorensen, 72)
Head coach: Dean Smith
- Bookings: Hanley (unsportsmanlike conduct, 70)
- Red card: Hanley (second bookable offence, 86)
- Added on time: 1 min/ 7 mins
- Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
- Attendance: 19,969 (approx 1,380 away)
- Referee: Tim Robinson
KEY MOMENTS
12 - Quiet start to the game in South Wales, with both sides getting a feel for the new campaign
20 - First chance of the game falls to City and Cantwell. A defensive mistake gives him a sighter of goal and the midfielder's curling effort is pushed wide by Allsop
24 - Watters capitilises on a poor pass from Pukki. Cardiff break through Sawyers, who carries the ball to the edge of the box but his low shot is saved comfortably by Krul
36 - Giannoulis latches onto Hanley's clip forward and should find Pukki in the area but flashes a ball across the box in search of the on-rushing Sargent at the back post
HALF TIME – CARDIFF CITY 0-0 NORWICH CITY
49 - GOAL CARDIFF (SAWYERS) - Kipre carries the ball into Norwich's half and picks out Sawyers, the former Walsall and Brentford man hits a swerving shot that nestles into the bottom corner of the net. 1-0
56 - Cantwell's corner is met by McLean, who cushions a volley onto the bar. Hanley scuffs the rebound
74 - Ng is sent off for a second bookable offence after fouling Rashica as Norwich sought to break away
83 - Aarons escapes the attentions of Collins but sees his low shot blocked by the recovering Ralls
86 - Hanley is sent off after being judged by Tim Robinson to having fouled Whyte as Cardiff launched an attack
FULL TIME – CARDIFF CITY 1-0 NORWICH CITY
SNAP RATINGS:
Krul 5; Aarons 5, Omobamidele 5, Hanley 4, Giannoulis 4; Sorensen 4, McLean 5; Sargent 5, Cantwell 6, Rashica 4; Pukki 5 Subs: Sinani 5, Gibbs 5, Hugill N/A, Hernandez N/A, McCallum N/A
MATCH STATS:
(Cardiff City – Norwich City)
Possession: 45% - 55%
Shots: 3 - 6
Shots on Target: 2 - 1
Corners: 1 - 7
Fouls: 16 - 9
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here