3/1 To Win
Derby County were consigned to their first loss in five games as Swansea City came out on top in a narrow 1-0 defeat for John Eustace's side at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday.
A goalless first half required solid defending from both sides, particularly the hosts, as Craig Forsyth and Kane Wilson had half-chances inside the penalty area for the Rams.
Derby continued to threaten in the second half, with Wilson the orchestrator and beneficiary of chances, but the Rams couldn’t convert against strong last-ditch defending.
Ji-sung Eom broke the deadlock and gave Swansea the lead against the run of play in the 78th minute.
Key Moments
The Rams started brightly in South Wales with two Forsyth throw-ins and a cross from Liam Thompson displaying the potential threat, but Derby were unable to find someone to direct the ball towards goal in the first knockings.
Marcus Harness floated an enticing ball into the box from a deep free kick in the 17th minute. A deflection from Matt Clarke’s head found Forsyth lurking at the back post, but the defender could only steer the ball wide.
The home side had the majority of the ball in the first period, but Derby were able to keep the Swans' attack at bay while looking to profit from the transitions.
Forsyth almost profited again in the box when Wilson dipped a cross into a busy penalty area and found the left-back in space in the 22nd minute. His attempt at goal was skewed wide of the mark, though, as Forsyth was chased by defender Josh Key.
Strong defending from Swansea captain Ben Cabango denied a threatening attack from Kayden Jackson and Harness in the 29th minute. Jackson charged into the penalty area but was muscled well to deny his square ball to Harness, who had found himself with room to shoot if passed to.
Cabango was dispossessed by Jackson minutes later down the left channel, but he recovered to deny a give-and-go that could have seen the attacker in with a chance on goal.
Wilson came close in the 39th minute as Forsyth’s long throw was dropped into his path at the far post, but the angle tightened and the wing-back could only find the side netting with his right-footed effort.
Alert defending from Nat Phillips and Clarke towards the end of the first half saw the game go into the break goalless despite Swansea upping the tempo.
The second period started slowly, with Derby’s first threat coming in the 62nd minute when Jackson lashed the ball towards goal inside the box, but had his shot blocked by a Swans defender.
Another Forsyth long throw moments later caused more issues, and again Wilson looked to have a chance to shoot from close range, but he was well-marshalled by the Swans’ backline.
The right-sider was a part of the action for the Rams again in the 65th minute when he flashed an early ball low across the face of goal for Jackson, but the striker’s outstretched leg couldn’t latch onto the fizzed pass.
Swans centre-midfielder Lewis O’Brien tried for the spectacular as he took the home side’s first shot of the game in the 68th minute. He wound up a strike from distance but cannoned the ball wide of the mark.
Swansea’s second chance came from the head of Eom in the 77th minute, he was found by a chipped cross at the back post but could only head wide.
Quick feet from Wilson on the right flank allowed him to beat his man and square the ball back for Harrison Armstrong to hit on the edge of the penalty area. Armstrong connected with the ball and forced a save from Swansea's goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
The Rams appeared to be in the ascendancy, but Swansea took the lead through Eom moments later, as Key’s ball to the back post found the attacker in space to tap home.
Eustace made Derby’s first changes in the 83rd minute as Kenzo Goudmijn, Tom Barkhuizen, and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing entered the field with Adams, Thompson, and Sondre Langås departing.
Jackson looked to be in behind for Derby in the 88th minute as he bore down on goal and was slotted in by Goudmijn, but some excellent defending from Joe Allen denied him. The challenge also saw Jackson depart the field after the knock he received, and young striker Lennon Wheeldon came on to make his first senior league appearance in the latter stages.
Despite late pressure, Derby weren't able to force an equaliser.
The Teams
Swansea City: Vigouroux (GK), Key, Fulton (Allen 77), Cabango (C), Darling, O’Brien, Tymon, Franco (Vipotnik 62), Cullen, Delcroix (Eom 62), Ronald (Christie 90+1).
Substitutes Not Used: McLaughlin (GK), Bianchini, Naughton, Cooper, Parker.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Wilson, Forsyth, Langås (Barkhuizen 83), Phillips, Thompson (Goudmijn 83), Clarke, Harness, Jackson (Wheeldon 89), Armstrong, Adams (C) (Mendez-Laing 83).
Substitutes Not Used: Vickers (GK), Rooney, Hendrick, Pieters, K Robinson.
Referee: Andy Davies
Assistant Referees: Paul Hodskinson, Bhupinder Singh Gill
Fourth Official: Martin Woods
Attendance
16,501/
What’s Next?
The Rams have another quick turnaround in fixtures as they play under the floodlights at Pride Park Stadium for the second week in a row when they host promotion-chasing Burnley on Tuesday 8th April (7:45pm kick-off).
