Report | Norwich City 1 Swansea City 1
Swansea City extended their unbeaten away run to four games but were denied three points by a debatable late Norwich City penalty at Carrow Road.
Zan Vipotnik looked to have the Swans on course for victory when took his tally to 25 goals in all competitions as he finished with typical assurance from the spot after being hauled down in the area early in the second half.
It also took him to 23 league goals, making him the Swansea player with the most goals in a Championship season as he surpassed the 22 racked up by Joel Piroe and Oli McBurnie since the second tier was rebranded.
But Kenny McLean levelled inside the final 10 minutes with a penalty of his own after Lawrence Vigouroux was ruled to have fouled Mathias Kvistgaarden as he came out to contest for a deflected cross.
It was frustrating for the Swans who had once again produced an assured display on their travels.
Captain Ben Cabango excelled in defence, while Malick Yalcouye was a livewire in midfield and Jisung Eom a nuisance for Norwich defenders on his flank, and Vitor Matos will again feel his side are finishing the campaign with plenty of reasons for optimism.
The Swans had shown five changes from the win at QPR, with Joel Ward, Marko Stamenic, Yalcouye, Jisung Eom and Zan Vipotnik coming back into the team.
Charlton’s win over Hull meant Norwich retained play-off aspirations going into this game, and the opening stages were largely cagey.
Lawrence Vigouroux easily gathered in a Paris Maghoma free-kick, while Ben Cabango made a terrific covering challenge on Mohamed Toure after a straight ball had sent the forward in behind the defence.
Swansea carved out a clear chance of their own courtesy of good link work by Josh Tymon and Eom, with the latter’s excellent cross finding an unmarked Goncalo Franco, but the midfielder could not make a clean connection with his attempted volley.
Another chance came for the visitors when pressing forced a loose pass from the hosts and Stamenic was able to tee up Ronald, but his shot was blocked as yellow shirts recovered.
Norwich responded with Vigouroux saving from Maghoma after Jack Stacey’s cross had run through to the winger, before Jose Cordoba had a shot deflected narrowly wide from the resulting corner.
It remained goalless at the interval, but the Swans had the first chance of the second half when Eom’s strike from distance was held by Vladan Kovacevic.
And they took the lead seven minutes after the restart.
Swansea had won the ball back high up the field and Eom slid Vipotnik in on goal. Cordoba pulled the striker’s shirt and the referee pointed to the spot.
Vipotnik assumed the responsibility and finished with typical calm for his 25th goal of the season and his 23rd in the league.
Swansea had another chance when Eom flicked a header over the bar from Josh Tymon’s delivery with the visitors looking composed and assured as the contest reached its final 20 minutes.
But they were denied all three points when the referee ruled that Vigouroux had fouled Mathias Kvistgaarden as he came to meet a deflected cross that one of his defenders headed over his own bar.
McLean stepped up and found the net, even though Vigouroux went the right way and neither side could find a winner in a frantic finale.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Joel Ward (Josh Key 60), Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon; Marko Stamenic, Goncalo Franco (Liam Cullen 68), Malick Yalcouye (Melker Widell 73); Ronald, Jisung Eom (Leo Walta 74), Zan Vipotnik (Adam Idah 60).
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jay Fulton, Ricardo Santos, Ollie Cooper.
Norwich City: Vladan Kovacevic, Jack Stacey, Harry Darling, Pelle Mattsson, Liam Gibbs (Amankwah Forson 89), Anis Ben Slimane (Ali Ahmed 62), Kenny McLean (captain), Paris Maghoma (Jacob Wright 77), Jose Cordoba, Kellen Fisher, Mohamed Toure (Mathias Kvistgaarden 77).
Unused Substitutes: Daniel Grimshaw, Ruairi McConville, Amankwah Forson, Sam Field, Jeffrey Schlupp, Errol Mundle-Smith.
Referee: Thomas Parsons
Attendance: 26,454