Norwich City's poor opening-day record continued as they suffered a 2-1 smash-and-grab defeat to West Brom at Carrow Road. The opening goal came in controversial fashion, with Aune Heggebo punching the ball into the net on 75 minutes against the run of play following a dangerous cross from Jimmy-Jay Morgan. Morgan then doubled the Baggies' lead with minutes remaining, gliding past Harry Darling before firing into the net. Mathias Kvistgaarden, introduced from the bench, handed Norwich slender late hope when he headed home unmarked from close range after Jacob Wright's initial effort was blocked, but the hosts couldn't find an equaliser to avoid opening-day defeat. Philippe Clement made two changes to the side that started the Carabao Cup clash against MK Dons, with Kellen Fisher coming straight back in following his spell out with an ankle injury and Paris Maghoma replacing Oscar Schwartau. In front of a raucous Carrow Road crowd brimming with optimism for the new campaign, the Canaries made a bright start and carved out the first meaningful opening. Kenny McLean exchanged a quick one-two with Anis Ben Slimane before drilling a low effort towards Max O'Leary, with the West Brom goalkeeper doing enough to push it away beyond the path of Mo Toure. Toure used his electric pace down the right channel with eight minutes on the clock, delivering a low cross which had to be cleared as Norwich started to dominate early proceedings. Fresh from scoring on his debut last weekend, Brooks was next to threaten. Pelle Mattsson found him on the edge of the box, but his curling effort drifted wide. Still on the hunt for his first City goal, Fisher tested the Baggies keeper with a low shot after some neat play between Maghoma and Brooks, but O'Leary claimed. West Brom's first sight of goal came through Aune Heggebo, who dragged an effort well wide of Vladan Kovacevic's far post from more than 20 yards in a rare Albion venture into the final third. The visitors then went closer when a free-kick delivery was met by captain George Campbell, who was left unmarked but could only head over. His effort would not have counted anyway, with the defender subsequently flagged offside. Norwich continued to threaten from set-pieces and came close twice from the same corner. Mattsson's initial effort was blocked by O'Leary before, from the second phase, McLean sent a deep delivery towards the back post. Darling nodded the ball back across goal towards defensive partner Jose Cordoba, with the Panamanian seemingly poised to open the scoring until Baggies midfielder Felix Myhre intervened at the crucial moment. Carrow Road was then on its feet appealing for a penalty as Toure wriggled free inside the box before going down under a challenge from Nat Philipps. Clement was immediately across to the fourth official in protest, but the appeals fell on deaf ears and play continued. The two teams went in at the break goalless and emerged unchanged for the restart as we awaited the breakthrough. Darling had the first chance of the second period, glancing a header wide from McLean's corner, before some neat hold-up play from Toure released Fisher down the right. His low cross was claimed by O'Leary with Brooks arriving at the back post. Slimane had a glorious chance on 55 minutes after a neat flick from Toure sent the Tunisian in behind, but his effort was deflected into the side-netting. Norwich began to turn the screw on the hour mark when Maghoma danced frantically around the edge of the box, only to be blocked by the Baggies' defence. The hosts continued to push for an equaliser, but West Brom held firm to secure a 2-1 victory. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 9th in Championship, 58 pts, 17W-7D-18L from 42 games, recent form LWDWL.