Report: Reading 0 Swans 2

19th September
First team

The Swans sealed their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after two second-half goals saw off Championship side Reading.

In a closely-fought encounter at the Madejski Stadium, Alfie Mawson volleyed home Renato Sanches’ corner after 52 minutes before sub Jordan Ayew sealed victory late on.

Paul Clement made seven changes to the starting XI which had picked up a point against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

And it was one of those changes who went close to breaking the deadlock in the first half as Luciano Narsingh shrugged off his marker before latching onto Angel Rangel’s through ball and slipping the ball past keeper Anssi Jaakkola. Referee Andy Davies, however, took the advice of his assistant and disallowed the goal for what appeared to be a foul by the Dutch winger.

Two minutes later and Narsingh was at it again, with his pace taking him away from a Reading challenge before getting onto the end of Leroy Fer’s pass, but this time his shot deflected off the legs of Jaakkola.

But the Swans did take their chance seven minutes into the second half as good work by Wilfried Bony – making his first start for the club – saw him win the ball before racing on and seeing two efforts blocked. From the resulting Sanches corner, Mawson reacted first and coolly volleyed into the net via a deflection.

The Swans went in search of a second goal, with Wayne Routledge sent racing into the box by Sanches, but the Royals defence recovered well to snuff him out.

The visitors did double their lead with seven minutes left, however, with Fer rolling the ball to Ayew, who cut back inside onto his right foot in the box before blasting home his third goal of the season.