11/03/2017 15:00 v Hull City

16th June

The Swans suffered at the hands of Hull City for a third time this season after two second-half goals earned the Tigers a crucial win in the relegation battle.

Substitute Oumar Niasse scored both goals after being introduced just past the hour, with the striker netting in the 70th and 78th minute.

Alfie Mawson glanced home in added-on time to give the Swans some hope, but it was too little too late.

The Swans, who had lost both Angel Rangel and Fernando Llorente through injury in the first half, had created the best two chances of the game until the opener, though Wayne Routledge couldn't take advantage.

Defeat leaves the Swans three points above third-bottom Hull, while 19th placed Middlesbrough lie five points adrift with a game in hand.

The Swans had the better of the first half at the KCOM Stadium, with Paul Clement's side creating some good chances.

The first came after nine minutes, with Gylfi Sigurdsson's pass sending Wayne Routledge in on goal. But the winger's goalbound effort was deflected wide by the foot of Eldin Jakupovic.

Sigurdsson supplied another fine pass to set up Tom Carroll down the left, and when he raced into the box he looked to centre to Routledge, only for Hull to clear for a corner.

The Swans were hit by an early injury as Angel Rangel was replaced by Jordi Amat after 33 minutes.

Hull came more into the game after that, with the hosts benefiting from more possession.

There was another scare for the Swans after Lukasz Fabianski was clattered by Abel Hernandez as he dived to punch clear fellow countryman Gamil Grosicki's cross.

And, with a minute left of the opening 45 minutes, the Swans were hit by another injury as Fernando Llorente was forced off and replaced by Jordan Ayew.

The Swans again started brightly, and managed to create a golden opportunity ten minutes after the restart.

It started with Sigurdsson's backheel pass sent Carroll into the box, and when his cross was spilled by Jakupovic the ball fell to Routledge. But the winger skied his left-footed effort from ten yards.

Sub Ayew then glanced a Carroll effort wide, while Sigurdsson's dipping free-kick was touched wide by Jakupovic.

That, sadly for the Swans, was as good as the afternoon got.

Niasse was sent on for the Tigers, and it proved a game-changer.

Just seven minutes after being introduced, the striker put Hull ahead.

Hernandez sent him in on goal, and he made mistake by slotting past the onrushing Fabianski.

The KCOM Stadium was rocking, and it was rocking once more eight minutes later.

Fellow sub Ahmed Elmohamdy crossed, and when the Swans defence failed to clear the ball dropped to Niasse, and he again found the net from inside the box.

Mawson headed home a Sigurdsson free-kick in added-on time - the defender's fourth Premier League goal - but it was too little too late for Clement's side.

It proved a bitter pill to swallow for the Swans, who had suffered two defeats and an FA Cup exit at the hands of the Tigers this season.

 

HULL CITY: Eldin Jakupovic, Andy Robertson, Harry Maguire, Tom Huddlestone (capt), Abel Hernandez (Shaun Maloney, 81), Alfred N'Diaye (Oumar Niasse, 63), Sam Clucas, Andrea Ranocchia, Omar Elabdellaoui, Kamil Grosicki, Lazar Markovic (Ahmed Elmohamady, 75).
SUBS: David Marshall, Curtis Davies, David Meyler, Adama Diomande.

SWANS: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel (Jordi Amat, 33), Federico Fernandez, Alfie Mawson, Martin Olsson, Jack Cork (capt), Tom Carroll, Leroy Fer, Wayne Routledge (Luciano Narsingh, 71), Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fernando Llorente (Jordan Ayew, 45).
SUBS: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Stephen Kingsley, Leon Britton, Borja.