It was a fantastic game of cup football last night at the Swansea.com stadium. Not the biggest crowd you will see but you can be rest assured this tie will soon see many more coming back into the fold. This type of night under the Swansea lights are where football memories are made forever.
The Swans started the game off positively with Eom on the left side of the pitch energetic and full of running. The more you see of loanee Malick Yalcouye despite his slight frame is encouraging but the weather last night was against good play. However, the Swans tried and that’s testament to how this game ended up. The Swans defence was being tested by some lively Forest play, many changes by new boss Ange Postecoglou seemed flawless as they passed their way around the pitch. Their desire to pass and find space embarrassed the Swans on both sides of their defensive line at times. Samuels-Smith on his debut looking off the pace much the same as Josh Key was for the visitors first goal. Good work in midfield picking the ball up after it spun free in midfield, Forest eased their way past the Swans midfield gracefully. Franco looking ragged, pushed off the ball during his efforts to compete. Omar Hutchinson got into the Swans box on the home sides right, his shot rebounded to Igor Jesus who just snuck the ball in off the post with Andy Fisher in the Swans goal racing across his line.
That was Forest announcing themselves in this tie.
Thereafter the Swans got themselves back into the game, Yalcouye was busy but he didn’t have the endeavour of Josh Tymon to back him up. Samuels-Smith looked like he was being told to play a more orthodox role at left back. He was cagey but you can see why there’s a fuss about this nineteen year old. The home side did have shots blocked but overall their effort wasn’t being rewarded. On thirty minutes Eom and Yalcouye worked a lovely move with a back heel to Yalcouye who was clearly fouled in the Forest area. That man in the middle Bobby Madley with a clear view of the incident chose to wave play away. That would be the contentious issue of the game, well for Madley. Bobby in the middle as always causing controversy when he had pure sight of the infringement.
Ethan Galbraith did pull the strings for the Swans in the first forty five but that lack of urgency and quick thinking was missing. Franco as stated was finding it hard to get into the game and debutant Manuel Benson- again a class addition was unable to really stamp his mark on this cup tie. But he has quality you can see that. Especially with the ball at his feet.
The issue for Swansea, and has been this season was their strength on the ball, Franco looking lightweight and easily shrugged away. At times that can be said if Galbraith as well. Their play was ‘nice’ but lacking the tempo and urgency required. The build up from the back too slow. The usual Swansea defensive blunder came along in injury time which ensured Forest went in at half time two goals up. A lovely passing move ended up with Samuels-Smith being pulled away as a ball right across the Swans box was tapped back across and in - again by Jesus. That’s the Swansea way at times, concede late on in both halves of the game. It was frustrating. Madley was spoken to by Swansea head coach, Alan Sheehan but it amounted to nothing and the second half would be an uphill battle.
Nobody could have forecasted what would happen next, It will live in the memories of those fans there for a very long time to come.
If the first half was so so, the second half was football from another planet. Ethan Galbraith was immense, his dominance on the ball and willingness to run as he did half the length of the pitch in the second half was awe inspiring. Josh Key is ever a danger going forwards but still has to work a lot on his defensive duties. Being 2-0 down at half time, and it has to be said playing within themselves - the Swans faithful would have been settling for a third round exit without too much embarrassment. Right up until Cameron Burgess beat everyone in the Forest area to head home an Eom corner, the Swans first goal on sixty eight minutes it was a game going through the motions. There had been warning signs, but the visitors didn’t heed them.
It was a perfectly timed leap by the big man sending the ball crashing into the Forest net.
Forest had enough chances to put the tie away with a third goal,even a fourth. The heavyweights of Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi were added to do just that but a world class save from Andy Fisher kept the Swans in the game. That was the turning point, and if Burgess gave the Swansea hope then substitute, Zân Vipotnik latching on to a perfect Liam Cullen cross to equalise ensured delirium. His precise tracking across his marker meeting the ball to flick it expertly into the back of Victor’s net surely meant we were to go to penalties ?
It’s just a case now of keep it tight and we can all be placed in the hands of the football devil with spot kicks ? But no, the Swans pressed, they looked hungry and dangerous, Galbraith picked up on a Forest clearance and fired a fierce shot against keeper Victor’s crossbar. He was stranded. As Burgess was tracking back the ball rebounded to him. If he ever has struck such a sweet shot in his career it’s not on record, if he has in training it hasn’t been talked about, but last night Burgess did. The sweet spot of that football was struck perfectly, it sailed like a bullet into the back of the forest net and Swansea City were 3-2 up. From a pretty abject first half of expected Swansea football by comparison we went to a cacophony of noise after a five goal thriller. Football nights like this are remembered for a very long time. Alan Sheehan although delighted kept his calm whilst his players and the fans celebrated. It was a wonderful end to the best twenty nine minutes of football seen at this stadium for a very long time. It’s why people go, and this morning it’s why people love it so much.
And talk about it at every opportunity.
⚽️ The Swans : Fisher 7 Key, 6 Burgess, 8 Casey, 6 Samuels-Smith 5 (Tymon 64) 7 Galbraith 9 Franco 5 (Widell 64) 6 Benson 6 (Ronald 64) 6, Yalcouye 7 (Cullen 84) 6 Eom 7 Idah 6 (Vipotnik 79) 7
Subs: Farman, Cabango, Wales, Inoussa
⚽️ Forest : Victor; Savona, Boly, Morato (Kalimuendo 46), Zinchenko; Yates, Douglas Luiz (Hudson-Odoi 62), Bakwa (Gibbs-White 62), McAtee (Sangare 84), Hutchinson, Igor Jesus (Cunha 46)
Subs: Gunn, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Abbott
Referee : Bobby Madley: His usual poor self, 4/10. Blokes nuts.
Att : 11,354