Report | Swansea City 2 Norwich City 1
Swansea City maintained their place at the top of the Championship with a superb second-half turnaround to secure a 2-1 victory over Norwich City at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Goals from Adam Idah and Moussa Yeo, both scoring their fourth goals of the season, preserved the Swans’ impressive start to the campaign and extended their unbeaten home record.
The victory moved the Swans four points clear at the summit ahead of the remaining Championship fixtures later this afternoon.
The Swans made three changes to the side that defeated Lincoln City before the international break, with Joseph Opoku, Gonçalo Franco and Jay Fulton all coming into the starting XI.
The trio replaced Elijah Just, Marko Stamenic and Stephen Eustaquio, with the New Zealand duo named among the substitutes and the Canadian midfielder ruled out with a minor shoulder problem.
Chances were at a premium during the opening exchanges, with neither side able to establish a real foothold in the game.
The closest the Swans came to an opener in the early stages was on 15 minutes, when Moussa Yeo’s strike from distance forced a comfortable save from Vladan Kovacevic.
The hosts should have taken the lead midway through the first half. Opoku drove smartly through the Norwich defence before slipping a pass into Idah, but the forward was unable to get a clean shot away to trouble Kovacevic.
At the other end, a sweeping Canaries move saw Oscar Schwartau deliver towards the far post, only for Stephen Welsh to produce a crucial headed interception and clear the danger.
The visitors took the lead in the 28th minute. After the Swans failed to clear their lines, Schwartau squared the ball to Jacob Wright, who fired a low effort into the far corner.
The Swans responded with a good opportunity of their own six minutes later, as Yeo delivered a high cross towards Idah inside the penalty area, but Kovacevic produced a smart save to deny the forward his fourth goal of the campaign.
The pair combined again just two minutes later, with Yeo once more picking out Idah, whose header flew over the crossbar.
Idah had another opportunity to draw the Swans level just before the break. Franco’s low strike was parried wide by Kovacevic, but the rebound fell to Idah, who fired wide of the target.
The Swans made a lightning start to the second half, drawing level just four minutes after the restart.
After some neat play down the left flank, Josh Tymon’s cross found Yeo unmarked at the back post, allowing the forward to prod home and bring the hosts level.
With the Swans continuing to apply pressure, Opoku saw an effort cleared off the line after reacting quickest to Kovacevic’s diving save.
The turnaround was complete on the hour mark as the Swans took a deserved lead. A superb delivery from the left by Melker Widell picked out Idah, who rose highest to head home in front of the Jack Army.
Zan Vipotnik was introduced midway through the second half as head coach Vitor Matos looked to extend his side’s advantage. The Slovenia international went close with five minutes remaining, unleashing a trademark strike from distance, but Kovacevic was equal to the effort.
Lawrence Vigouroux was then called into action at the other end, producing an important save to deny substitute Sam Field’s powerful header with five minutes remaining after the midfielder had been left unmarked.
Norwich continued to apply pressure in the closing stages, but the Swans stood firm to see out another important victory in SA1 and maintain their position at the top of the Championship.
Swansea City: Vigouroux; Lissah, Cabango (C), Welsh (Seelt 84’), Tymon; Fulton (Stamenic 69’), Franco, Widell (Just 69’), Yeo, Opoku (Eom 84’), Idah (Vipotnik 63’).
Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jenson Seelt, Eom, Iorpenda, Parente, Ross Stewart.
Norwich City: Kovacevic, Stacey, Mattsson (C), Brooks, Darlin Yongwa, Ruairi McConville, Wright (Silmane 85'), Maghoma (Field 63’), Schwartau, Kvistgaarden (Makama 70’), Jose Cordoba.
Substitutes: Grimshaw, Darling, Chrisene, Crnac, Kellen Fisher, Anthony Musaba.
Attendance: 17,677