FULL-TIME: Malmo 0 Swans 0
8th August
The European tour continues for the Swans after they booked their place in the Europa League Play-Offs thanks to a 0-0 draw with Malmo.
After winning the first leg 4-0 back at the Liberty Stadium, the Swans were strong favourites to progress and they showed why by holding the Swedish hosts at the Swedbank Stadion.
Michu and club record signing Wilfried Bony went close in the first half as the Swans, backed by around 800 of the Jack Army, looked comfortable.
And the second half proved just as comfortable, with the result earning the Swans a spot in the Europa League Play-Off draw, which takes place at around noon on Friday (August 9).
Michael Laudrup made seven changes to his starting XI for the second leg with Malmo.
Ashley Williams, Wayne Routledge, Michu and Wilfried Bony retained their places, which meant Gerhard Tremmel started between the sticks.
Chico Flores returned from the thigh injury which ruled him out of the first leg while both full-backs changed as Jazz Richards and Neil Taylor were called up.
Summer signings from Real Betis - Jose Canas and Alejandro Pozuelo - made their first competitive starts while loan star Jonathan de Guzman was also given the nod.
MALMO: John Dahlin, Miiko Albornoz, Pontus Jansson, Magnus Eriksson (Tokelo Rantie, 74), Erik Friberg (Markus Halsti, 68), Jiloan Hamad (capt, Petar Petrovic, 56), Filip Helander, Ricardinho, Erdal Rakip, Emil Forsberg, Pawel Cibicki.
UNUSED SUBS: Robin Olsen, Benjamin Fadi, Erik Johansson, Pa Konate.
SWANS: Gerhard Tremmel, Jazz Richards (Angel Rangel, 84), Chico Flores, Ashley Williams (capt), Neil Taylor, Jose Canas, Jonathan de Guzman, Michu (Ki Sung-Yueng, 74), Alejandro Pozuelo, Wayne Routledge (Nathan Dyer, 66), Wilfried Bony.
UNUSED SUBS: Michel Vorm, Garry Monk, Ben Davies, Leon Britton.
ATTENDANCE: 11,538
With a red-hot atmosphere at the Swedbank Stadion, Malmo looked to take heart from their passionate home supporters.
And they went closed within two minutes, skipper Jiloan Hamad taking play forward before the ball spilled to Pawel Cibicki, and his shot skimmed off the slick surface but wide of the far corner.
The Swans responded 60 seconds later as Wilfried Bony intercepted possession before slipping through a pass for Alejandro Pozuelo inside the Malmo area, but keeper Johan Dahlin just beat him to the ball.
Seconds later, Michu went inches wide of opening the scoring as the Swans showed their attacking intent, but the Spaniard's 25-yard left-footed effort curled just wide of the top corner.
Magnus Eriksson then scooped his 20-yard effort high with Gerhard Tremmel untroubled before Michu was denied by the keeper after Dahlin had raced out after the Spaniard was put through by Pozuelo.
The Swans carved open another chance, Jose Canas' superb lobbed pass sent Wayne Routledge racing towards goal, but his shot with the outside of his foot boot bounced inches wide with Dahlin at full stretch.
Jonathan de Guzman scooped a free-kick over the crossbar from 20 yards before Bony had the ball in the net only to be denied by the offside flag in what the last real threat of the half.
Half-time: Malmo 0 Swans 0
Neither side made changes at the break, but Malmo did use their first replacement ten minutes into the half as Petar Petrovic came on for skipper Hamad as the hosts looked for an extra injection of attacking flair.
The Swans were enjoying the majority of possession, and frustrated their opponents throughout.
Michael Laudrup's side were looking a threat on the counter attack, and they should have made more of a swift move which saw Michu feed Routledge down the left, but that culminated in de Guzman's cross earning a corner, which came to nothing.
It proved Routledge's final input as Nathan Dyer replaced him with 25 minutes to go, while Ki Sung-Yueng later replaced Michu, who had been booked in the first half.
Late on, the Swans went within inches of breaking the deadlock as Alejandro Pozuelo's flicked pass found de Guzman in the box, and the Dutchman beat keeper Dahlin to the ball but sub Markus Halsti was there to clear off his own line.
Then Dyer saw a low strike just evade the near corner of the net as Dahlin scrambled across goal.
But that was the end of the action as the Swans celebrated in front of their own supporters after a job well done.
