sábado, 20 de octubre de 2012

Swansea City 2 - 1 Wigan Athletic

Goals from Pablo Hernández and Michu helped Swansea City bring to an end an uncomfortable week for manager Michael Laudrup.
The Dane had been incensed by claims that his squad was drifting apart due to players bringing into question his man-management skills and training methods. However, all was forgotten on the final whistle as Hernández and fellow Spaniard Michu secured a first win in six games for last season’s surprise package.
Emmerson Boyce halved the deficit, to set up a frantic final 20 minutes during which Arouna Koné had a goal disallowed, but Swansea held on for a welcome victory – in more ways than one.
Laudrup said: “It was a mixture of joy and relief when the final whistle went. We did have to suffer a bit in the last 20 minutes but, after so many games without winning, it was a great result.
“The team is happy always when we win and that is normal. There will always be players that play all the games and others who don’t. Those who are not always playing will not always be happy.”

Swansea began as they had two weeks previously against Reading, with no signs of any unrest.
Still, just as they wasted opportunities to establish themselves against Reading, so they did against a Wigan side managed by former Swansea manager Roberto Martínez.
Michu was guilty on three occasions while Angel Rangel and Hernández were careless in their final execution after Leon Britton and Wayne Routledge had created openings.
Wigan, whose only league victory this season had come at Southampton, grew into the game although at times they struggled to retain possession. When they did, Shaun Maloney was denied well by Michel Vorm.
If the first half had been a little below par in terms of incident, the second started with Swansea inches away from taking the lead.
Hernández saw his cross cleared by Gary Caldwell but when Britton picked up the loose ball, his shot was inches wide.
Britton’s urgency in midfield kept Swansea on the front foot for long periods with Ki Sung-yueng twice denied by Ali Al Habsi.
Then, with 26 minutes left Hernandez swivelled on the edge of the penalty area and beat Al Habsi at his near post.
Michu’s header two minutes later doubled the lead before Boyce halved it with an overhead kick 90 seconds on. Thereafter, it was all hands to the pump for Swansea, who did at least hold on.
Martinez said: “I thought we deserved something from the game. However, we missed that sharpness in the final third.”
Match details
Swansea City (4-5-1): Vorm; Rangel, Flores, A Williams, Davies; De Guzman (Graham 83), Routledge, Britton, Ki Sung-yueng, Hernandez (Dyer 72); Michu.
Subs: Tremmel, Monk, Moore, Shechter, Tiendalli.
Booked: Rangel 75, Ki 85.
Wigan Athletic (3-4-3): Al Habsi; Ramis, Caldwell, Figueroa (Watson 69); Boyce, McCarthy, McArthur (Boselli 83), Beausejour; Maloney, Di Santo (Gomez 83), Koné.
Subs: Pollitt, Jones, McManaman, Miyaichi.
Booked: Beausejour 73, Maloney 89, Gomez 90.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).

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