Tuesday night football in the Championship saw Swansea City host high-flying Leeds United at the Swansea.com stadium. Three former Swans now wear the white shirt of Leeds United and all three were set to start on the bench until a late change after warm-ups saw Joel Piroe replace Patrick Bamford. With Bristol’s victory over Southampton and the Whites claiming the three points in South Wales, Leeds have now moved into second place of the EFL Championship table.
SWA: Rushworth; Humphreys, Cabango, Wood, Tymon; Fulton, Grimes; Pereira, Paterson, Placheta; Cullen
LEE: Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Piroe
Swansea were coming into the game off the back of victory over Hull at the weekend, their first win from their last six games, whilst the visitors also travelled off the back of victory having beat Rotherham 3-0 in the league, and having progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup earlier last week with a 4-1 win over Plymouth.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Whites began on the front foot with an early free kick in Swansea’s half won by Georginio Rutter followed by two corners, the latter of which was kept alive by Leeds players who recycled possession well with the ball falling to Crysencio Summerville on the left side of the box. The Dutch winger drove into the box and fired a shot towards the right corner that took a deflection and flew past Rushworth in net for the Swans, opening the scoring just eight minutes in. Summerville was then trying to set Rutter up for a goal but the forward’s left-footed shot from the centre of the box was blocked before it could find the back of the net.
A second goal for the visitors came just two minutes later. Wilfried Gnonto broke away before feeding the ball to Joel Piroe who fired a right-footed effort past his former club as the Whites took a two-goal lead inside the opening ten minutes in South Wales with Rushworth unable to do anything to deny the striker.
Gnonto was close to getting his name on the scoresheet in the 16th minute after Leeds broke forwards following a Swansea corner, but the Italian shot straight at the Swansea goalkeeper who was able to produce a comfortable save in the centre of the goal.
In need of a successful attack to get back into the game, the Swans took their free kick midway inside Leeds’ half in the 21st minute, but Fulton’s shot couldn’t make it through the bodies inside the box with his effort blocked and the chance dissolved. Another chance for the hosts came at 28-minutes with a cross from the left kept alive by Ronald near the byline forcing a good save from Meslier in net for the Whites.
Leeds were quick to work the ball forwards again with Rutter taking a shot at 28-minutes, his effort saved by Rushworth who had to get down low to make the stop. Continuing to dominate possession and look threatening going forwards whilst also appearing solid in defence, clearing their lines whenever the Swans looked to attack, the hard work and resilience of the visitors was rewarded once again when two became three at 37-minutes. Archie Gray was given time on the ball to pick his pass with the 17-year-old playing the ball over the top to the unmarked Wilfied Gnonto who dropped the shoulder to turn away from Cabango before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner to give Leeds United a three-goal lead – the Whites have not lost a game in the Championship in which they have scored first in 45 games: 40 of those they have won.
Embed from Getty ImagesRutter was looking to create more danger and trouble the Swans further only a minute later as he shook off Cabango before bursting into the box and firing a shot towards goal from the left side of the box, forcing Rushworth into making another save.
The one-way traffic did not stop there with another ball over the top from the visitors causing panic for the Swans, but Cabango was able to make the last-ditch challenge on Gnonto in time to see his side go into half-time having conceded only three goals.
Swansea City had a better start to the second half with Ronald winning an aerial dual on the halfway line at 48-minutes before Paterson looked to weave through Whites shirts, but the short spell of possession didn’t amount to a threatening chance until Grimes won the ball back and played Placheta in down the left, the cross of which was deflected by Rodon with appeals for handball quickly dismissed.
A set-piece opportunity for Swansea saw Cullen head the ball across goal with the chance falling to Paterson near the six-yard box, his volleyed effort going over at 57-minutes. It was inevitable that the Swans would enjoy more possession in the second half given that the visitors already held a comfortable lead, but they unable to make anything of it.
Just before a double substitution for the hosts that saw Allen and Yates enter the field of play, Summerville curled an effort from inside the box just wide of the goal as the visitors searched for a fourth in SA1. The Whites were still in control of the game but did concede a free kick in the 70th minute – the set-piece came off the Leeds wall and went behind for a corner that didn’t amount to anything.
A brilliant breakaway from the visitors saw Gnonto net his second of the night at 72-minutes as Summerville played a through-ball to the forward who shot into the bottom left corner before being replaced by Dan James – the Welsh winger returned to the pitch to face his former club.
Embed from Getty ImagesLeeds kept possession in the middle of the park as the final 15 minutes were played with no huge chances presenting themselves for either side as the visitors saw out the game with a clean sheet and recorded their biggest win over Swansea City since Don Revie’s side of 1963.
The Whites move into second place of the EFL Championship table with a ten-goal superior goal difference over third-placed Southampton having continued their perfect start to 2024 in league action with a seventh straight win.
