FULL-TIME: Minnesota United 2 Swans 0

20th July

The Swans ended their tour of American on a losing note as they went down 2-0 to Minnesota United.
The North American Soccer League Spring Season champions scored both goals in the first half as the Swans failed to deliver the same level of performance they had in the midweek draw with Mexican side Chivas Guadalajara.
Full-back Justin Davis took full advantage of Simone Bracelello's through ball and he slid his show low through the legs of Gerhard Tremmel.
The Swans pushed for an equaliser and had the majority of the possession, but they failed to deliver that crucial final ball with Bafetimbi Gomis' chipped effort the best opportunity.
With the game heading into the break, Minnesota doubled their lead as Greg Jordan latched onto Christian Ramirez's flick on and fired past Tremmel.
Garry Monk made eight changes for the second half, but it failed to change his side's fortunes as Minnesota claimed victory in what was their first home game against a Premier League side at a record 9,064 crowd at the National Sports Center.
The Swans now fly home on Sunday as they look ahead to domestic friendlies with the trip to Plymouth on Sunday, July (5pm) up next.


MINNESOTA: Mitchell Hildebrandt, Justin Davies, Tiago Calvano (capt), Simone Bracalello, Michael Reed, Miguel Ibarra, Brian Kallman, Christian Ramirez, Greg Jordan, Brent Kallman, Juliano Vicentini.
SUBS: Floyd Franks, Cristiano Dias, Aaron Pitchkolan, Mozzi Gyorio, Jamie Watson, Tyler Polak, Omar Daley, Daniel Mendes, Kevin Venegas, Matt VanOekel, Abdiel Arroyo.

SWANS (first half): Gerhard Tremmel, Angel Rangel (capt), Chico Flores, Kyle Bartley, Stephen Kingsley, Jazz Richards, Adam King, Jonjo Shelvey, Nathan Dyer, Rory Donnelly, Bafetimbi Gomis.
SWANS (second half): Lukasz Fabianski, Dwight Tiendalli, Chico Flores, Kyle Bartley, Neil Taylor, Leon Britton, Jonjo Shelvey, Marvin Emnes, Wayne Routledge, Alex Bray, Bafetimbi Gomis (Josh Sheehan, 59).

After a bright opening, where Rory Donnelly failed to get onto Nathan Dyer's cross along the face of goal, the hosts stunned the Swans with their first attack after eight minutes.
When the Swans failed to clear their lines after Stephen Kingsley rose well to head a cross away from goal, Simone Bracalello's neat pass sent in full-back Justin Davis, and he struck his shot low between Gerhard Tremmel's legs.
The Swans almost hit back soon after as Bafetimbi Gomis won possession off Brent Kallman some 25 yards out, but the French striker's attempted chip was caught by the fingertips of the fully-stretched keeper Mitchell Hildebrandt.
Kallman made up for his error after Donnelly linked with Adam King, and the Northern Irishman was only denied by the defender's last-gasp challenge following some neat trickery in the box.
The visitors came again, and more fine link-up pay - this time from Angel Rangel and Dyer - saw Donnelly rise highest at the back post, but his effort sailed over from ten yards.
Jonjo Shelvey, who had made a number of sublime crossfield passes to Dyer, then went tumbling over in the box following a challenge from Kallman, but referee Sorin Soica waved away the appeal.
Shelvey's corner then teed up the next chance after 40 minutes, but, following a deflection falling to Kyle Bartley, the centre-back's follow-up header dropped over the crossbar.
With the Swans enjoying the majority of possession, another Minnesota sucker punch stunned the visitors on the stroke of half-time.
After Jazz Richards had been booked for a challenge on the halfway line, Christian Ramirez's flick-on into the box caught the defence flat-footed and Greg Jordan strolled through unmarked to fire past the advancing Tremmel from ten yards.

Half-time: Minnesota 2 Swans 0

The Swans made eight changes at the break as only Bartley, Shelvey and Gomis remained from the first half.
Minnesota made the first threat, skipper Tiago Calvano directing his header wide from a Bracalello free-kick from the right.
To underline the Swans' frustrations, Chico Flores was booked for dissent after appealing a challenge against him.
And Garry Monk then made a change before the hour, as Gomis was replaced by Josh Sheehan, which meant Emnes moved up front.
Emnes was teed up by Sheehan following a decent move also involving Wayne Routledge, but the Dutchman's effort flew straight at Hildebrandt.
Minnesota were dealing comfortably with the opposing threats though, with that chance the best of the half as the clock moved towards the last ten minutes.
Bartley then came to the Swans' rescue as his thunderous sliding challenge prevented a Minnesota chance just inside the visitors' box.
Chico saw his header float harmlessly into Hildebrandt's hands as Minnesota's following cheered a big success for the American side.