Standard Liege 1 Norwich City 1

Grant Hanley, Kenny McLean and Marcelino Nunez all returned for their first Norwich City pre-season action of the summer in Saturday’s 1-1 Belgian tour friendly draw against Standard Liege.

Angus Gunn sat out the game with a minor hand injury but the Scotland number one is expected to feature next week against FC Magdeburg on the squad's return to England.

Borja Sainz put Johannes Hoff Thorup’s squad into a ninth minute lead, but Ibe Hautekiet rose unmarked to level in the 14th minute of a game played in sweltering conditions at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

City's Euro2024 contingent returned to the camp ahead of the trip out to Belgium, along with Chile international Nunez, who was on Copa America duty.

Captain Hanley partnered Jacob Sorensen at centre back, with McLean adding experience to a midfield three featuring Nunez and Gabby Sara.

Adam Idah started his second Norwich game since January, after featuring in Wednesday's 3-0 friendly defeat to Belgian champions, Club Brugge, flanked by Sainz and Jon Rowe.

Onel Hernandez and Liam Gibbs were named on the bench after a recent return to training with the group following season-ending foot and thigh injuries respectively.

Shane Duffy had already returned to the UK, after missing the midweek game with a minor knock, which Thorup stressed was a precautionary measure at this stage of pre-season.

Swiss international Christian Fassnacht and experienced striker Ashley Barnes did not travel to Belgium.

Fassnacht picked up a knock in training while Thorup indicated after the opening friendly run out at Northampton, while Barnes is still carrying the muscular problem that limited his impact at the end of the last campaign.

Rowe tried a snapshot after Idah’s lay-off inside the opening five minutes but the ball struck Lucas Noubi.

But City’s attacking trio did unlock the Belgian defence in the ninth minute. Idah was able to drive at the Liege backline and used Rowe as decoy runner to find Sainz, who calmly checked back inside the full back to roll underneath Mathieu Epolo from the angle of the six yard box.

But the Canaries were pegged back swiftly, when Hautekiet rose unmarked to glance home a header six yards out.

Thorup was clearly unhappy at a decision from the officials the Dane felt had gone against his side in the previous phase of play, as he directed his protest to the fourth official.

Kellen Fisher cut in on his favoured right but a drifting cross was headed behind in a corner that fizzled out for the visitors.

McLean and Gabby Sara then pincered Brahim Ghalidi, but Jack Stacey’s cross was over hit for intended target Idah.

Marcelino Nunez was back for Norwich City after his Copa America exploits (Image: Adam Harvey/Newsquest)

Rowe showed his athleticism to improvise a flicked header at the near post which lacked the power to loop over Epolo.

Thorup used a drinks break midway through the opening period to gather his players around him for an impromptu tactical pep talk, judging by the animated body language.

Hanley had to bail out central defensive partner Sorensen to halt Sofian Bejdida, after the Dane’s weak pass intended for Nunez was intercepted to spark a threatening home counter.

Sainz took exception to the grappling of Isaac Price just prior to the hour mark when the Spaniard had rolled his marker. Referee Vermeiren opted for a cautionary word to the offender.

City’s general play after the resumption brought some added urgency with Nunez clipping a ball over the top for Idah but keeper Epolo was out sharply to gather.

Nunez then upended Ghalidi with the Chilean perhaps still finding his feet in his first pre-season outing of the summer.

Hautekiet’s mistimed header, after rising between Hanley and Sorensen, sparked a sharp City counter, which at one point had Idah and Sainz with only Bosko Sutalo for company in the Standard half. But the centre back slid in to halt Sainz’s progress.

Stacey stuck to his defensive task in the 41st minute to get a touch to Henry Lawrence’s cross, which allowed Archie Mair to collect.

McLean whacked Lawrence’s goalbound rebound away inside his six yard box, after Mair’s unconvincing punch had failed to clear a Standard free kick in the final minute of normal time prior to the interval.

Thorup made seven changes at the interval, with only Mair, Stacey, Sara and Sorensen retaining their places. Sorensen moved into a more accustomed central midfield role, with Jaden Warner now partnering Brad Hills at the back.

Adam Idah celebrates with Borja Sainz after his opening goal for Norwich City (Image: Adam Harvey/Newsquest)

Hernandez raced onto Guilherme Montoia’s pass, and with the keeper rashly committed, lifted it over him but Liege had defenders back in front of their goal to clear the bouncing ball.

Montoia’s quality in possession was evident again in the 57th minute when he threaded a pass into Ken Aboh, who turned well but found himself crowded out on the edge of the Liege’s box.

Sara lifted a perfect pass for Abu Kamara to race into the area and control on his chest, but the winger was forced wide before earning a corner.

Gab Forsyth’s volley from Sara’s pinpoint delivery struck Marlon Fossey. Thorup introduced a quartet of further subs in the 62nd minute, including the reappearance of Gibbs, who also took the armband for a youthful City XI.

George Long acrobatically denied Leandre Kuavita in the 66th minute before Gibbs sparked a flowing move that saw Kamara drive inside but his shot was deflected for a corner.

Forsyth drilled a shot at Epolo in the 72nd minute from 18 yards, and judging by the young Scot’s anguished reaction he felt he should have done better.

That was his last contribution as a heavy landing had him rubbing his lower back as he walked gingerly away to be replaced by Finley Welch.

- The Pink Un is providing full coverage of the Canaries' time in Belgium, including both friendly matches against Club Brugge and Standard Liege, in partnership with Chips Away Norwich

Standard Liege: Epolo, Noubi (Ngoy, 62), Hautekiet (Gboua, 89), Sutalo (Dierckx, 62), Fossey (Calut, 71), Bolingoli (Lawrence, 18), O'Neill (Banse, 62), Price (Tapsoba, 89), Ghalidi (Kuavita, 45), Ziani (Simicic, 71), Benjdida (Kyei, 62). Sub (not used): Godfroid.

Goal: Hautekiet (14)

Norwich City: Mair (Long, 62), Stacey (Adegboyega, 62), Hanley (Hills, 45), Sorensen (Gibbs, 62), Fisher (Montoia, 45), McLean (Forsyth, 45 (Welch, 77)), Sara (Djedje, 62), Nunez (Warner, 45), Rowe (Hernandez, 45 (Renecke, 81)), Idah (Aboh, 45), Sainz (Kamara, 45). Subs (not used): Finch, Tomkinson, Manning, Springett.

Goal: Sainz (9)

Referee: Ken Vermeiren