It was thrills and spills again as the Swans wouldn’t give up at Leeds United this afternoon. Despite the referee insisting that Leeds United would go top Swansea City were not having it. This time it was Swansea City who stole the show in what was payback for Leeds effort at the Swansea.com in the reverse fixture. Okay, it wasn’t a win but that point will be as valuable as any point come the end of the season. And nobody expected anything.

It was an onslaught on the Swans goal from the off, and a goal followed on thirty five seconds. Leeds attacked down the Swans left in open space. The cross came in and after a really poor piece of defending the Swans conceded. General opinion was that point Vigouroux should have been in at his opponents feet. He didn’t and our Leeds danger man, Brenden Aaronson in the pre match build up scored yet another goal for Leeds. The home sides attack down didn’t slow down and thereafter two more solid goal attempts followed. It looked like a Cardiff City style mauling.

With a changed strategy, very much as expected with Josh Tymon on the left wing in for Eom and Lewis O’Brien in a back up role to Liam Cullen it was a brave change by interim manager, Alan Sheehan. Every time the Swans made some progress they were chased down and had no time on the ball. To get to ten minutes with no further goals scored was a bonus, but to get to twelve gone and get a penalty was extraordinary. Lewis O’Brien was brought down by Joe Rodon and referee Ben Toner immediately blew for a spot kick. It was one of his finer moneys in a poor game.

Tymon stepped up and his shot was saved by Leeds keeper Meslier diving to his left.

That pretty much summed up the Swans nervous approach to this first fifteen minutes. Prepared to battle but lacking in the composure required, Cullen running into trouble and easily dispossessed. We said before the game this would be won in midfield and that was the key area the Swans were unable to dominate in the early stages. Longer balls were the preference with Gonçalo Franco still not carrying the strength to stamp his authority on the game.

The Swans had a free kick on twenty two minutes out on the Leeds left, Tymon took it with Hannes Delcroix standing over the ball. Tymon’s perfect cross was headed by Harry Darling on to the post with Delcroix unable to get the touch needed to equalise.

On twenty five minutes the play stopped to honour two murdered Leeds United fans in Istanbul, twenty five years ago. Swans players applauded, Swans fans applauded despite the watches of the home support being in Yorkshire time beforehand. Their abuse was shocking to the away supporters on twenty four minutes, even from the hospitality areas. Leeds as ever were singing about how they bring more than anyone to anywhere as the large Swans support belly ached. The **400,000 Leeds fans in the ground seemed undaunted.

The half hour came and went but it has to be said the Swans were no longer under attack as much, they had contained the midfield far better and Delcroix at left back looked comfortable. On thirty one minutes Jay Fulton broke down the Swans left but somehow got himself in an offside position. A free kick in a similar position to the one when the Swans hit the post followed on thirty four minutes. It was defended for a corner which was easily dealt with.

Delcroix was booked for a ridiclious body check on thirty eight minutes.

With five minutes to go in the half the Swans were again in their own danger zone, often as a result of their own poor decision making. That challenge was crucial to get to half time just one goal down. The way the Swans played in the last half an hour had silenced the Leeds crowd, the Swans fighting for every ball despite missing chances to level. That challenge was met and at half time after four minutes added the score was Leeds United 1 Swansea City 0.

⚽️ Half time thoughts
Vigouroux in the Swans goal could have done more to get to the ball before Leeds scored. Delcroix was busy but gave away a silly yellow card. The midfield was weaker than Leeds but were looking to lengthen their passing with O’Brien doing a lot of running. Cabango and Darling looked solid at the back and really the Swans should be level. Ty in’s penalty was poor and had Delcroix been more alert with the ball coming back off the post the Swans woukd be at 1-1. We really do need to see more from Ronald and Josh Key. Liam Cullen not having a good game despite getting service. Overall Sheehan will be happy with this performance apart from the circus goal. We can expect Leeds to come out with more threat early in the second half. Keeping the score to one is the next goal …

The first opportunity of the second half came for Leeds on fifty one minutes but the shot was neither here not there. Leeds were looking the more threatening side and the Swans just had to compose themselves a bit more. Especially when O’Brien tried to put Ronald in on goal. The run of the ball wasn’t going for the Swans with the match officials leaning towards the home side when calling decisions. O’Brien wasn’t helping when giving the ball away in midfield leading to a Dan James shot which flew past the Swans post. This game was hard enough without the usual weekly gifts the Swans give away.

On fifty nine minutes a ball which looked to be well out was retained by Dan James his cross saw Piroe fore a shot at goal, Vigouroux saved excellently pushing the ball on to his post and the danger was over. However, these decisions falling to Leeds were not helping. The fouls continued to be given against the Swans and Josh Key when he had ample space to cross cut back and the opportunity was lost. The game was now taking the shape of the first half. Swansea in possession but not looking able to break down the home side. On Sixty two minutes Tymon took a corner the clearance was met by Ronald who took it on the volley but Meslier in the Leeds goal saved well. Another corner followed on sixty minutes, the Leeds keeper looked to have gathered the ball safely. He spilled his catch and Harry Darling pounced to make it 1-1. Overall that was what the Swans deserved.

The away side pressed again, this was better. A shot from O’Brien was just gathered by Meslier, a minute later the same player sent another left footed shot which spun the wrong side of the post. The Swans were in the ascendancy. We had twenty three minutes to go. We now needed composure and thoughtful passing, no silly errors and this could be a memorable day. A warning shot came from Piroe on sixty eight minutes which was save excellently again by Vigouroux. Franco then went hands on and recieved a yellow card. The play was frantic. The strategy by Sheehan and his new coaching staff seemed to be paying off. But we have been here before.

Again a fifty fifty challenge went Leeds way, it was Delcroix who fouled and had he been booked he would have been off. The Swans players took a drinks break as Leeds made multiple changes. Interestingly Eom then came on for Delcroix, a wise move. There needed to be a change in formation now. I mentioned composure before and Lewis O’Brien needed to buy some more of that to the end of this game. He was the Swans players who looked most likely to give the ball away, and he did when a break was on around seventy five minutes.

On seventy six minutes James shot and again his effort was saved by Vigouroux for a corner.

Harry Darling again unhappy with the decision making of the officials

The Leeds crowd booed as Franco received a back injury as we approached the final ten minutes. Joe Allen was coming on. He was accompanied by Ollie Cooper. Fulton and Franco departed. It has to be said Fulton had played well. On eighty two minutes O’Brien was booked after an awful challenge on Eom, O’Brien was beside himself. The linesman was right in front of it but did nothing. This was the extra man the Swans were up against. More fouls were awarded to Leeds when most of them looked like the game should have been played on. It really does make you wonder sometimes.

This led to a Leeds attack which Cabango defended well, but at the expense of a corner. A header from a Leeds player was again wonderfully saved by Vigouroux but sub Gnonto latched on to the free ball driving low in to the Swans net. Oh dear, it really wasn’t deserved. And again that attack led from a poor decision awarding Leeds a free kick.

On eighty seven minutes a free kick was awarded for the Swans out on the Leeds left. The Swans brought on Vipotnik for Cullen and Bianchini for Ronald. It was indeed the last throw of the dice. The cross by Tymon was met by Cabango who headed well over the bar. The home crowd was announced by the tannoy, it was around 35,000, the away crowd was greeted by Leeds fans with dramatic cheering. They would have obviously taken more.

We were then awarded an extra seven minutes as the Swans tried to break down the will of the referee to stop the game and the Swans momentum. A cross for Vipotnik was missed and Bianchini unable to even gamble on that occurring missed the ball completely. This game was now being slowed down by not only the officials but the home side as well. With two minutes to go O’Brien was blatantly fouled in front of the linesman. No foul.

From that throw in for Leeds led to bedlam. Joe Allen picked up the ball and threaded a pass to Vipotnik, taking the pass on his side he shot low and hard to equalise for the Swans. It was an identical moment to that we saw when Leeds snatched a last second winner in the home game at the Swansea.com. Just desserts as the home support held their heads in their hands. I had the privilege again to be seated near a real Leeds United legend. Talking to him after this game he said the Swans won’t get any plaudits but they deserved loads. The change in formation was an excellent move, and the commitment to make it work superb.

I agree, I’m certain now as Leeds talk about taking half a million fans to Luton and twice that to Middlesbrough, I apologise they are an unlikeable fanbase. Even when the Swans support appreciated their remembrance of their two fans killed in Istanbul they still abused the away supporters. Good enough for them, I can’t stop smiling.

Next up it’s Derby County at home followed by another home fixture against Plymouth Argyle. Win them and your beach towels can be packed firmly away for the summer.

⚽️ Leeds United: Illan Meslier, Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu (captain) (Ao Tanaka 58), Pascal Struijk, Joe Rodon, Daniel James (Wilfried Gnonto 85), Joe Rothwell, Joel Piroe, Brenden Aaronson (Mateo Joseph 72), Manor Solomon (Largue Ramazani 72), Sam Byram (Junior Firpo 72).

Unused Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Joshua Guilavogui, Isaac Schmidt, Ilia Gruev.

⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 8 Josh Key 5 Ben 6 (captain), Harry Darling 7 Hannes Delcroix 6 Jisung Eom 74) 5 Jay Fulton 7 (Ollie Cooper 82) Lewis O’Brien 6 Gonçalo Franco 6 (Joe Allen 83) Ronald 6 (Florian Bianchini 87), Josh Tymon 7 Liam Cullen 5 (Žan Vipotnik 87).

Referee: Ben Toner 4/10 : a homer who despite a lot of Swansea challenges continued to favour the home team.

Attendance: 35,574 (potentially just under 6.5M)
Approx 1,000 away

Stats BeSoccer : Photographs : tag:reuters.com,2025:newsml_MT1NURPHO0000832M7:2018845397