Report | Watford 0 Swansea City 2

Second-half goals from Marko Stamenic and Josh Key saw Swansea City claim a first away win of 2026 after a battling display at play-off chasing Watford.

The New Zealander was on hand to turn in from close range after a corner was flicked on, before turning provider for Key to seal victory with 10 minutes to go.

At the other end a solid defensive performance secured an eighth clean sheet of the season, and a welcome and well-earned three points on the road.

It was just Watford’s second home defeat since Javi Gracia returned as manager last October, and it is a second away win of Vitor Matos’ tenure as Swans boss.

The visitors were not as fluent or as dominant as they have been in a number of recent away showings, although they still posed an attacking threat, but they showed no shortage of fight and effort to put those recent frustrations behind them.

Joel Ward was been handed his first start for the Swans as he came in for Ethan Galbraith at right-back, while Stamenic was chosen instead of Liam Cullen in midfield.

The hosts had the opening shot on goal inside the opening 35 seconds as Tom Ince hit a low strike harmlessly wide of the target from 20 yards.

Swansea responded by winning a series of corners following a quick counter-attack, with Cameron Burgess heading wide from the first before Ben Cabango was clearly hauled down by a defender at the third, but referee Matt Corlett waved away Swansea’s appeals.

He did likewise when Zan Vipotnik had a shot blocked by what appeared to be a Watford hand after an excellent challenge from Ward.

The hosts were nervy, and Swansea’s aggressive press forced a number of errors, with Goncalo Franco and Ronald at the forefront.

At the other end, Lawrence Vigouroux saved with his feet to deny Marc Bola’s low strike after the Watford man had driven into the left-hand side of the Swansea area.

The Swans were soon back on the front foot, Vipotnik seeing an effort saved after a fine run by Jisung Eom, with a half-block from a defender taking most of the pace off the Slovenian’s strike.

Watford had a better spell around the half-hour mark, penning Swansea in their own third but without troubling Vigouroux aside from a routine stop from a firm Edo Kayembe drive.

Swansea’s best chance of the half arrived five minutes before the break, Josh Tymon’s lofted cross was beautifully brought down by Vipotnik but his final left-footed strike lacked the power to beat Egil Selvik.

It was goalless at the break although Watford nearly opened the scoring early in the second period when Ince drove forward and cut onto his left foot before arrowing a curling strike just wide of the far post.

Ronald then did superbly to hold off a defender to reach a bouncing ball and drive towards goal, he had his shirt tugged as he turned inside Bola to shoot, but again the referee was unmoved.

But Swansea’s frustration were soon quelled when good work by Eom and Ronald forced a corner, Tymon swung in an excellent delivery that Vipotnik glanced on and Stamenic turned in at the far post.

Swansea nearly doubled their lead a few minutes later, substitute Gustavo Nunes started a rapid attack in transition that ended with Selvik making a fine save to parry Franco’s strike from Ronald’s pull-back.

Vigouroux saved smartly from Luca Kjerrumgaard when the ball broke for the forward in the area, while Tymon skidded a low strike wide as the final 20 minutes arrived.

And the Swans sealed the points with 10 minutes to go, Stamenic was involved again, and when the midfielder sent a low ball across the six-yard box Key arrived unmarked to turn the ball home seconds after his introduction.

Watford's misery was compounded when Nestory Irankunda was dismissed in stoppage time for shoving Cullen.

Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Joel Ward (Ethan Galbraith 68), Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon; Marko Stamenic, Goncalo Franco (Malick Yalcouye 68), Jay Fulton (Liam Cullen 59); Ronald (Josh Key 80), Jisung Eom (Gustavo Nunes 59), Zan Vipotnik.

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Ollie Cooper, Dan Watts. 

Watford: Egil Selvik, Jeremy Ngakia, Kevin Keben, Tom Ince (Kwadwo Baah 65), Luca Kjerrumgaard, Imran Louza (captain) (Nampalys Mendy 76), Marc Bola, Mamadou Doumbia (Nestory Irankunda 76), James Abankwah, Edo Kayembe, Othmane Maama (Giorgi Chakvetadze 65).

Unused Substitutes: Nathan Baxter, Vivaldo Semedo, Stephen Mfuni, Jack Grieves, Albert Eames.

Referee: Matt Corlett

Attendance: