Swansea City | Fantastic free-kicks

19th February
First team
Conor Hourihane

Swansea City supporters will not need reminding that Conor Hourihane's recent dramatic equaliser against Brentford marked the first time in nearly four years that the Swans had scored direct from a free-kick.

Bersant Celina and Rhian Brewster had gone closest in that time, seeing their efforts find the net but go down as own goals after getting help from the woodwork and the opposition goalkeeper on the way in.

Hourihane's effort was the first since Gylfi Sigurdsson's strike at Old Trafford in 2017 and provides an ideal opportunity to look back at some of the memorable free-kicks scored by Swansea City players.

And, while not a comprehensive and definitive list - we know there'll be a few you'd like to see added to this roll of honour - there are some sensational strikes to recall.

Leighton James

Swansea City v Liverpool, February 16, 1982

Leighton James will always be fondly remembered by Swansea City fans for his wonderful marauding wing play, and an iconic goal in the win at Preston that helped seal promotion to the top-flight for the first time in the club's history.

Less than a year on from that day at Deepdale, James would score another beauty with his free-kick against Liverpool at the Vetch in February 1982.

The Swans were firmly in title contention and James' connection with Alan Curtis and Bob Latchford was among the most feared in the First Division. It would prove to be two of that trio who would combine to help power John Toshack's side to victory.

Curtis was fouled around 30 yards out with less than 15 minutes left on the clock.

James took control and placed the ball on the exact spot he wanted, sprinted up to it in what one newspaper called a ‘fast bowler's run-up’ and his thunderous effort beat the Liverpool wall and Bruce Grobbelaar at the near post, leaving everybody in the stadium stunned.

The ferocious strike opened the scoring before Curtis added a second in the final minute as the Swans gained a memorable victory against the eventual First Division winners, with the hosts eventually finishing sixth.

Andy Robinson

Swansea City v Colchester, December 10, 2005

Andy Robinson had a successful career with the Swans, securing two promotions and helping secure Football League Trophy glory in 2006. He also scored the final goal at the Vetch Field in the FAW Premier Cup win over Wrexham in May 2005.

The Englishman was a set-piece specialist and was deadly when stood over a free kick, and his superb effort in the FA Cup win over Preston in 2004 could easily have made this list.

But this particular effort came against Colchester United in 2005, was one to be admired. The Swans were top of League One and had only lost three times so far that term, but Kenny Jackett’s men found themselves 1-0 down to a Chris Iwelumo goal.

There was half an hour on the clock when the free-kick was awarded. The ball was placed around 25 to 30 yards out and Robinson was stood over it with one thing in mind. He curled it over the wall with pace and beyond the reach of the diving ‘keeper.

As the ball rippled the net in the top corner, Robinson was already celebrating as his team-mates chased him down to join in. The Liberty Stadium burst into raptures as that goal kept the Swans at the summit.

Fabio Borini 

Swansea City v Norwich City, April 9, 2011

Fabio Borini

This fixture saw the Swans host Norwich City looking to bounce back from a difficult run with the Canaries sitting second in the table, two places above the hosts on a glorious spring afternoon at the Liberty.

They could not have wished for a better start when Italy Under-21 international Fabio Borini was hacked down inside five minutes by Zak Whitbread around 30 yards out and just left of the centre of the goal.

The talented striker picked himself up and dusted himself off and took control of the situation, making sure he was the man to make Norwich pay.

The 20 year-old’s strike flew over the wall with pace and dip and found the top left corner of the goal, giving John Ruddy in the Norwich net no chance of getting anywhere near it.

Borini’s effort, hit with his laces and the technique to make the ball dip at the last second, was his third in as many games to keep the Swans on the promotion push. The campaign would end with Wembley glory and a place in the Premier League secured.

Jonathan de Guzman

Valencia v Swansea City, September 19, 2013

Jonathan De Guzman Valencia

Jonathan de Guzman was a key player for the Swans in the run to their League Cup triumph in 2013, scoring twice in the final, and he would make a similar impression on one of the most famous victories in the club's history the following season.

The Swans kicked off their Europa League adventure with a trip to face former Champions League finalists Valencia at the Mestalla, and it could hardly have gone any better.

A red card for Adil Rami and goals from Wilfried Bony and Michu had Michael Laudrup's side in dreamland, and De Guzman was soon to put the cherry on the cake for the visitors.

The Swans won a free-kick around 35 yards from goal. Valencia didn’t bother with a wall and instead decided to mark the Swansea players they thought would be challenging for the cross.

De Guzman had other ideas however as he curled the free kick high into the top right-hand corner of the goal out of the reach of Vicente Guaita in the Valencia net.

Gylfi Sigurdsson

Swansea City v Arsenal, November 9, 2014

We couldn’t have written this piece and not included a strike from that man Sigurdsson. Few would dispute the Iceland international ranks among the Swans very best set-piece takers. 

One of his most memorable goals came against Arsenal on a sodden afternoon at the Liberty as the Swans turned the game on its head late on to seal a 2-1 win.

Garry Monk's side had trailed when Kieran Gibbs brought down Modou Barrow 25 yards from goal, earning himself a yellow card in the process, and that caused immediate danger for Arsenal as Sigurdsson placed the ball down and cleared the rest of his team-mates out of the way.

The midfielder waited patiently for the referee to march the wall back 10 yards, but it made no difference as he bent the ball over the top of the watching Arsenal players with speed and whip and into the back of the net.

It was only his second goal of the season and Bafetimbi Gomis would head home the winner soon after, but it is that image of Sigurdsson standing over that ball in the teeming rain that sticks in the memory.

Gylfi Sigurdsson

Manchester United v Swansea City, April 30, 2017

Gylfi Sigurdsson Manchester United 2017

The Iceman scored a number of free-kicks over the years that could have made this selection, but his last in a Swansea shirt was a special one away at Manchester United as he secured a vital point as Paul Clement's side battled to beat the drop.

Recently retired Wayne Rooney brought down Jordan Ayew nearly 25 yards from goal as the clock ticked towards 80 minutes with the visitors trailing by a goal.

After a lengthy wait for United to get themselves sorted out, with Ander Herrera briefly retreating onto the goal line before returning to the wall, Sigurdsson guided the ball over the wall and into the net in nonchalant fashion, leaving David de Gea rooted to the ground.

He then wheeled away into the corner where 3,000 travelling Swans fans celebrated.