Norwich City fans are quickly falling for their new Australian signing, Mohamed Toure, after the 21-year-old forward continued his remarkable start to life in England with a decisive goal in the Canaries’ 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory over West Bromwich Albion on .
Toure, who joined Norwich from Danish side Randers FC, came off the bench in the second half and headed home in stoppage time to seal the win for his side. It was his fifth goal in just three appearances for Norwich, a feat not accomplished by a player in 117 years, according to reports.
The goal capped a strong performance from Norwich, who had taken the lead through Paris Maghoma in the 31st minute. West Brom equalized through Josh Maja eight minutes into the second half, but Benjamin Chrisene restored Norwich’s advantage before Toure’s late intervention.
Manager Philippe Clement opted to start Toure on the bench after his hat-trick in midweek against Oxford United, but the young forward made an immediate impact upon his introduction just after the hour mark. His winning goal came after a clever assist from Anis Ben Slimane, who controlled a cross on his chest and nodded it across the six-yard box for Toure to head home.
“It’s a crazy start and hopefully we can keep it going,” Toure said after his midweek performance, a sentiment echoed by Norwich supporters who are already captivated by his performances. He previously stated his delight at joining Norwich, calling it a “dream” to play in England and expressing his intention to “enjoy every moment.”
Clement has been impressed with Toure’s humility and work ethic, describing him as “really humble” and “down to earth.” He also revealed a humorous anecdote about Toure’s initial reluctance to sing during the traditional new-player initiation at the club. “I have to say that Mo was not really up to that, and it was not really a big performance,” Clement said. “I told him also after the game that I was really happy that this performance on the pitch was much better than in his singing contest!”
The manager added, “He’s come from Australia, he’s focused and wants to learn and recognises really well the things he needs to work on. He’s really hungry to become better. I don’t need to manage him.”
Toure’s prolific form comes at a crucial time for the Australian national team, the Socceroos, with the World Cup looming. His performances for Norwich will undoubtedly be closely monitored by national team coach Tony Popovic as he finalizes his squad.
The victory sends Norwich through to the fifth round of the FA Cup, where they will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent. For West Brom, the defeat marks an end to their FA Cup run and a return to Championship duties.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup on , Liverpool defeated Brighton 3-0, Aston Villa lost to Newcastle 3-1, and Real Madrid overcame Real Sociedad 4-1 in La Liga. In Serie A, Inter beat Juventus 3-2. The A-League saw Sydney FC fall to Adelaide United 2-1, while Melbourne Victory drew 1-1 with Brisbane Roar.
Toure’s arrival at Carrow Road has injected a new sense of excitement into the Norwich City faithful, and his continued success will be vital as the team pushes for promotion from the Championship and as Australia prepares for the challenges ahead on the international stage. His goal-scoring rate of a goal every 26 minutes is a remarkable statistic that underscores his immediate impact and potential.
