Floyd Samba scored twice on his Manchester City debut as the holders eased past Norwich 5-0 in the Carabao Cup at the Etihad Stadium. The 17-year-old forward opened the scoring with a stooping header in the 29th minute, then curled home a second in the 54th to seal a comfortable win.
The teenager put in a strong performance that marked a promising start to his time with the senior squad, while his father, former Premier League defender Chris Samba, sat watching from the stands the entire match.
Samba’s two strikes
The match opened with Samba finding the back of the net, bending down to direct the ball into the goal with his head. City took the lead within 29 minutes of play.
The pick of the goals came in the 54th minute, when he curled an effort into the bottom-right corner with a finish that showed composure beyond his years. That goal capped a debut performance that will live long in the memory of City supporters.
The two blows landed while his father sat among the spectators, a presence that gave added significance to an evening that clearly belonged to the young man.
Cherki and Allan join in
Rayan Cherki doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, finishing neatly into the bottom corner after latching onto an Ayyoub Bouaddi pass. The Frenchman’s goal came soon after Samba’s opener, giving City a comfortable cushion early in the game.
Before the match, Cherki had a part in getting Samba’s first goal, providing the assist before dancing into the box to drive a low shot into the bottom corner. His performance was a reminder of why he remains a key player for Enzo Maresca’s side ready.
City’s third came from Allan, who was playing his first match and added it in the 48th minute. He drove a low driven shot into the bottom corner, having set up the opening goal earlier. It marked another strong start to his career in front of the home crowd at the Etihad.
McAidoo rounds out the scoring
The home side added a fifth goal in the 90th minute, scored by Ryan McAidoo. Norwich came close to finding a reply when Mohamed Toure struck late on, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. The visitors failed to register a single shot on target all evening.
City capped off their dominant evening with a late goal.
Key moments from the Etihad
There were several noteworthy moments during the game. One of them came in the 39th minute, when Samba pushed forward at pace and entered the penalty area, yet Bruno Alves reacted quickly to make a timely recovery challenge and prevent him from getting off a shot.
The young forward’s vision shone through in the opening minutes, even though the attempt did not land. In the 68th minute, Samba fed McAidoo, who struck low across goal, with Daniel Grimshaw making the save.
The 74th minute brought disappointment for Norwich. Toure slotted a consolation goal in but the offside flag cut their celebrations short, leaving the visitors empty-handed despite their efforts.
Maresca’s perfect start continues
Man City’s new manager Enzo Maresca has kept winning from the first match, and his side continue to show plenty of both energy and skill since they raised their pace.
Winning six competitive matches after taking over from Pep Guardiola says something about Maresca’s ambition. Few would have expected him to perform so well at the start. Making 10 changes and doing so handsomely is a clear signal of what he wants to achieve.
Cherki’s departure at half-time means the focus can turn entirely to Sunderland’s visit at the weekend, and the hope that it will mark a perfect seven before the international break.
Clement’s take on the loss
Norwich City boss Philippe Clement was philosophical about the defeat. “The team played in a good structure, well organised and the boys were disciplined,” he said. “After 20 minutes, Man City started to get a little bit annoyed because they could not create. Then you get the first goal and we need to do better on that cross. Then on a transition they get a second goal; we were naïve.”
He added: “There are good lessons to take. We missed the right choices in the final third; we had some good opportunities. We scored a goal but it was offside.”
“I saw good individual performances from players but it is hard to take five goals with just six shots on target. Those are not good statistics.”
“Not many would have predicted Maresca winning his first six competitive matches after taking over from Pep Guardiola.”
What comes next
Enzo Maresca’s team has now won six games in a row, setting up a meeting with Brighton in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at home. The full draw for that round is available, and City will aim to carry forward what they produced against Norwich when they host Brighton at the Etihad.
Samba’s announcement came on the biggest stage, and the night will remember it as his moment to declare himself. For City, the evening was one of comfort, confirming what many already suspected about the teenager — that he is a special talent.
Everyone watching has noticed the teenager’s performance, and it was his ability to find the net from tight angles and his poise in front of goal that made that clear. These traits suggest he belongs at the highest level.
The young forward’s first appearance for City will be seen as the beginning of what the club hopes will be a lengthy and prosperous career.
Match score: Manchester City 5-0 Norwich City
See the video the story is built around at Skysports.
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