Norwich City Under-23s have qualified for the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup after a 5-0 thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-23s at Colney this afternoon.
The visitors had dominated the first half, until a defensive mistake allowed Todd Cantwell to fire the young Canaries ahead in the 44th minute.
The hosts then came flying out of the blocks in the second half with three goals in 11 minutes to take control of the tie.
Ebou Adams headed home from a Cantwell corner in the 48th minute and less than two minutes later Cantwell ran clean through and lobbed the Wolves keeper for 3-0.
Diallang Jaiyesimi nodded in a Louis McIntosh cross in the 58th minute and Cantwell completed the rout – and his hat-trick – in the 74th minute when capitalising on another defensive mistake.
City had re-ignited their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 when beating Premier League Two table-toppers Everton 1-0 at Carrow Road last Wednesday, thanks to a late goal from midfielder Adams.
That was the final match of Dmitri Halajko's time with City before leaving the club, with academy manager and former Cambridge United boss Richard Money now taking charge, alongside former Canaries midfielder Matt Gill.
They began with a 2-0 defeat at Swansea in the league on Monday but went into today's game knowing that victory would ensure qualification for the knockout stages.
The young Canaries have now joined Brighton, West Ham, Liverpool and Reading in qualifying for the last 16 and will find out whether they finish top on Monday, when Portsmouth host Everton.
Re-live updates from this afternoon's match as it unfolded via the blog above.
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