Express & Star

Carlos Corberan frustrated as Daryl Dike effort proves not enough

Head coach Carlos Corberan was frustrated Albion were unable to build on returning United States international Daryl Dike’s excellent finish at Cardiff.

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The Baggies were pegged back on the road to extend a winless away run leading into an international break.

Dike stroked home a fine volleyed finish for a seventh goal of the season since returning from injury, just hours after learning he was back in the USA squad for the first time since 2021.

“It was a very good finish for me and a very good cross from (Jed) Wallace from the right,” Corberan said. “It created something from a (what looked like) a non-advantage situation, a very good delivery and finish. The problem was we didn’t do enough of these actions to unbalance the game more.

The Spaniard later admitted Dike looked ‘fatigued’, hence his withdrawal before the hour.

“I don’t know now – my feelings are more limited with the game,” Corberan said of the national call.

“Every player of course wants to make it well and of course when they have the reward of the national team is always positive for them.”

Dike will fly to Florida to join his team-mates in interim boss Anthony Hudson’s squad. Hudson said: “Daryl is someone who had an unfortunate time with injuries at key parts of time in the last campaign.

“But what he’s done in the Championship, first with Barnsley, I think when he went there, they were fighting relegation and he had a massive part to play in scoring goals and getting them up to then pushing for the play-offs.

“He’s done really well, and then obviously his move to West Brom had an injury but again he’s doing well.”