25/10/2014 16:30 v Leicester City

20th June

Wilfried Bony struck twice as the Swans rose to sixth in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the Liberty.

Bony netted in either half as Garry Monk's side picked up their first win in six games.

The Ivorian broke the deadlock after 34 minutes as he capped off a fine move which saw his backheel pass find Gylfi Sigurdsson, who then returned a low pass which Bony fired home past Kasper Schmeichel.

Bony then doubled the lead before the hour mark as Sigurdsson's sublime through ball found Jefferson Montero, and his perfect cutback allowed Bony to guide home from short range.

That was Bony's fourth goal in nine league appearances, with his overall tally of 20 since joining the club moving him alongside Michu as the Swans' highest scorer in the Premier League.

The game failed to generate any clear chances in the opening period, though Bony tested Schmeichel twice within 20 minutes after being teed up by Sigurdsson and Federico Fernandez.

Leicester were almost made to pay for failing to clear their lines as Wes Morgan's passback to Schmeichel was only scuffed straight to Sigurdsson some 12 yards out, but Morgan recovered to just dispossess the Icelandic midfielder before he attempted to connect.

But the Swans were not to be denied any longer as they took the lead in the 34th minute.

And what a goal it was too, with Rangel's pass finding Bony. His superb backheel caught out the Leicester defence to send Sigurdsson racing towards goal.

Rather than go for goal himself, Sigurdsson slipped a pass inside for Bony, and he fired past Schmeichel from 15 yards for his third goal of the season.

That proved the last real action of the half as the Swans comfortably held onto their narrow lead.

After an opening half in which they failed to have an attempt at goal, Leicester struck the woodwork just three minutes after the break.

Liam Moore's long throw bounced in the area and on to the crossbar before going out for a goal-kick.

Moments later they probed again, this time Riyad Mahrez cutting inside before firing high and wide.

The Swans replied through Bony, who raced towards goal after latching onto the loose ball after Danny Drinkwater miscontrolled, but the Ivorian's effort was off target.

Drinkwater then tested Lukasz Fabianski with a stinging 20-yard effort, but the Swans doubled their lead in the 57th minute.

Sigurdsson's sublime through ball cut open the Leicester defence, and when Montero found himself in space on the left he unselfishly squared to Bony, who sidefooted home from eight yards.

Monk then made a change as Tom Carroll came on in place of Sigurdsson.

The Swans went in search of a third goal and they went within inches of doing so as Jonjo Shelvey's thunderous 30-yard strike cannoned back off the crossbar.

Leicester went close to cutting the deficit though as Mahrez's low drive just bounced past the post with Fabianski seeing it out at full stretch.

The home side again probed soon after with Routledge latching onto Rangel's through ball into the box. And when the winger went down under Paul Konchesky's challenge, the home crowd were appealing for a penalty only to see referee Mike Jones wave away the appeals.

Foxes boss Nigel Pearson made a triple change with 22 minutes left as he looked to give his side more attacking options. Matty James, Andy King and Esteban Cambiasso came on in place of Drinkwater, Hammond and Jamie Vardy.

Fabianski then had to get down low to keep out Mahrez's goalbound effort while, at the other end, Bony sent Shelvey down the left before his low pass along goal just evaded the onrushing Routledge.

Monk made his final changes in the last seven minutes as Nathan Dyer and Bafe Gomis replaced Routledge and goalscorer Bony.

In the closing moments the visitors went within inches of pulling one back as Leonardo Ulloa's header was swatted out by Fabianski, and when sub Cambiasso's resulting effort hit the post the Polish keeper quickly palmed away the loose from creeping over the line.

That proved the final action as the Swans moved on to 14 points from nine games thanks to this victory.


SWANS: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel, Federico Fernandez, Ashley Williams (capt), Neil Taylor, Ki Sung-Yueng, Jonjo Shelvey, Gylfi Sigurdsson (Tom Carroll, 58), Wayne Routledge (Nathan Dyer, 83), Jefferson Montero, Wilfried Bony (Bafe Gomis, 83).
SUBS: Gerhard Tremmel, Liam Shephard, Kyle Bartley, Marvin Emnes.

LEICESTER: Kasper Schmeichel, Ritchie De Laet, Paul Konchesky, Danny Drinkwater (Esteban Cambiasso, 68), Wes Morgan (capt), Dean Hammond (Andy King, 68), Jamie Vardy (Matty James, 68), Liam Moore, Leonardo Ulloa, Riyad Mahrez, David Nugent.
SUBS: Adam Smith, Jeff Schlupp, Marcin Wasilewski, Chris Wood.