Report | Derby County 0 Swansea City 3
Swansea City eased to victory over Derby County at Pride Park as an exemplary away performance extended their unbeaten start to the Championship season.
Joseph Opoku put the visitors ahead inside two minutes in the East Midlands before Jisung Eom deservedly doubled the lead before the interval.
Vitor Matos’ side then stubbornly dealt with a fast start from the second half from their hosts before creating a number of chances to make the margin of victory greater, with Ronald dispatching one of them from the edge of the area in stoppage time.
It was an excellent team performance but there were particularly impressive performances from Marko Stamenic and Jay Fulton in midfield, while centre-halves Filip Lissah and Stephen Welsh were the model of composure and calm as the Swans kept a clean sheet on their their travels.
The Swans had brought Josh Key, Melder Widell and Eom into the starting line-up. Ben Cabango missed out through a heel injury, with Fulton taking the armband, while Elijah Just and Moussa Yeo dropped to the bench.
The Swans could hardly have wished for a better start as they led with just 100 seconds played.
Eom swept onto a loose ball and drove forward with purpose to reach the Derby area, his left-footed cutback found Opoku and the Ghanaian’s low strike took a deflection before rolling its way into the bottom corner of the net.
The winger should have doubled the lead just five minutes later, but put his volley over from inside the six-yard box following excellent patient build-up from the visitors.
Every time Swansea came forward they looked a threat, Widell so nearly found Adam Idah with a slide rule pass, before Opoku’s clever movement nearly allowed him to pick out Key.
But the Swans lost Opoku to injury as he picked up a knock after bravely going in for a 50-50 challenge.
However, they continued to cause Derby problems with Widell’s show being unconvincingly parried and Eom just unable to reach the rebound.
Idah then blazed wide after Yeo and Key had combined down the right to roll a delivery to the far post before a short pause was required while referee David Webb received treatment after being struck by a fierce Widell clearance, although the official was eventually able to continue.
The Swans would have been frustrated not to be further ahead, but they doubled their lead just before the interval when Idah’s powerful header from a Yeo cross forced a brilliant save from Jacob Zetterstrom, but Eom was on hand to tap in the rebound.
Derby boss John Eustace made a trio of interval changes, bringing on Rhian Brewster, Sam Szmodics and Joe Ward, and the Rams started the second half on the front foot with Josh Key making an important block to deny Bobby Clark as the midfielder ran on to a rolling ball.
Welsh was the next Swansea player to make a telling block as he put his body on the line as the ball pinged around in the visiting penalty area.
The visitors defended manfully during that period and eased the pressure to re-establish control, it required a cynical covering challenge to prevent substitutes Stephen Eustaquio and Zan Vipotnik combining for a third.
The Slovenian was then denied by Zetterstrom after Yeo had teed him up with a lovely low pass, and the keeper saved from Yep himself just a few moments later.
Chances kept coming for Swansea, Stamenic heading Key’s cross wide at the far post before Ronald applied the finishing touch to delight the 1,300 strong travelling Jacks in attendance.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Josh Key, Filip Lissah, Stephen Welsh, Josh Tymon; Jay Fulton (captain) (Stephen Eustaquio 65), Marko Stamenic, Melker Widell (Elijah Just 65); Joseph Opoku (Moussa Yeo 23), Jisung Eom (Ronald 86), Adam Idah (Zan Vipotnik 65).
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jenson Seelt, Tiago Parente, Thomas Woodward.
Derby County: Jacob Zetterstrom, Sondre Langas, Bobby Clark, Lars Salvesen (Filip Bilbija 68), Charlie Taylor (Sam Szmodics 46), Alex Mowatt (Owen Eames 78), Max Johnston (Joe Ward 46), Ryan Hedges (Rhian Brewster 46), Lewis Travis (captain), Dion Sanderson, Corey Blackett-Taylor.
Unused Substitutes: Josh Vickers, Craig Forsyth, Ryan Nyambe, Oscar Fraulo.
Referee: David Webb
Attendance: 26,576