Championship
Wednesday 16th March 2022
Weston Homes Stadium
19:45

PET Peterborough

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SWA Swansea

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16th March
Peterborough away Michael Obafemi 2

Joel Piroe fired home a stoppage-time winner as the Dutchman's strike and a brace from Michael Obafemi saw Swansea City claim victory in a breathless contest at Peterborough United.

Obafemi had put the Swans ahead at the Weston Homes Stadium just before half-time, rewarding a dominant first-half display with a finish from a tight angle.

However, a sloppy start to the second half saw the hosts hit back as they capitalised on Swans errors.

Sammie Szmodics and Jack Marriott were the beneficiaries and briefly looked to have Peterborough on course for a first league win since December.

But Obafemi took his tally to seven for the season with an excellent finish, after Cyrus Christie had struck the woodwork to level, before Piroe unerringly netted his 17th goal of the campaign to snatch victory.

Russell Martin’s side had shown one change from the weekend with Hannes Wolf available again as Olivier Ntcham dropped to the bench.

But there was a question mark over whether the Austrian and his team-mates would get the chance to play as a heavy pitch faced an inspection after consistent heavy rain.

Peterborough away Hannes Wolf 1

However, the game went ahead as scheduled and the Swans were quickly into their stride as they took control of the ball and pinned the hosts back in their own half.

And, apart from a couple of threatening thrusts from Ricky-Jade Jones and Josh Knight, it was pretty much one-way traffic.

Former Swansea keeper David Cornell was a busy man for the Posh, doing well to deny Obafemi from a Wolf lay-off, before tipping over a Jamie Paterson cross that threatened to find its way under his crossbar after being caught by the strong wind that was behind the visitors during the opening half.

Wolf was then himself denied by Cornell after picking off a loose pass and striking at goal, before the best chance yet came just before the half-hour.

An extended period of build-up play found the weak point in the home defence as Piroe got in down the left, only for Obafemi to scoop the Dutchman’s pull-back over the bar from eight yards.

Knight led a rare Peterborough breakout a few moments later, but rightly got nothing from referee Oliver Langford after cynically throwing himself to the ground as Kyle Naughton covered across.

Peterborough away Michael Obafemi

The half looked set to end goalless despite Swansea’s complete control, but they found the breakthrough just moments before the break.

Paterson produced a magnificent slide-rule pass into Obafemi, and the forward tucked the ball under Cornell from an acute angle to give the Swans the lead.

Martin’s men would have been looking to pick up where they had left off, but the early stages of the second period were scrappy with neither side able to settle.

The Swans did not help themselves with some sloppy play eagerly snapped up by a re-energised home side.

And they made the most of it as Szmodics found the net from a Jones pull-back, the forward firing home left-footed to punish the visitors.

Jones was soon at it again, nearly picking out Jonson Clarke-Harris after another purposeful run.

But Swansea should have restored their lead on the hour.

Paterson seized on a collision between two defenders and found Wolf in support, but the Austrian could not beat the onrushing Cornell.

Peterborough away Cyrus Christie

The Swans were then guilty of absolutely gifting the hosts the lead two minutes later.

Ben Cabango had a clearance charged down and the ball flew into the area. Naughton recovered well and looked to have mopped up the danger.

However, his slip gave the ball straight to substitute Marriott, who found the far corner with his first touch.

The Swans sought an instant response, Paterson having a shot blocked before Cornell acrobatically parried a strike from distance by Piroe.

And the visitors got a leveller through a fine improvised finish from Obafemi with 18 minutes to go.

Christie clattered his header against the upright from a pinpoint Paterson cross, and Obafemi cushioned a volley into the net as the ball thundered back across goal.

The Swans pushed for a winner, Piroe unable to make the most of a smart counter as time ran down.

But the forward made no mistake when Ntcham's shot was blocked into his path, and he picked his spot.

Peterborough United: David Cornell, Ronnie Edwards, Frankie Kent, Sammie Szmodics (Jack Taylor 68), Jonson Clarke-Harris (Joe Taylor 77), Josh Knight, Oliver Norburn (captain), Ricky-Jade Jones (Jack Marriott 61), Joe Ward, Bali Mumba, Jeano Fuchs.

Unused Substitutes: Will Blackmore, Mark Beevers, George Grant, Harrison Burrows.

Swansea City: Andy Fisher; Cyrus Christie, Ben Cabango, Kyle Naughton, Korey Smith (Olivier Ntcham 68); Flynn Downes, Matt Grimes (captain); Hannes Wolf, Joel Piroe, Jamie Paterson (Jay Fulton 90); Michael Obafemi (Kyle Joseph 80).

Unused Substitutes: Ben Hamer, Nathanael Ogbeta, Finley Burns, Cameron Congreve.

Referee: Oliver Langford