USA FRIENDLY: Richmond 2 Swans 0
16th July
The Swans were struck down by a double Richmond blow in their final pre-season tour friendly in America.
It was a difficult evening for the Swans at the City Stadium after the game was suspended in the 42nd minute due to lightning.
As a severe storm swept in, heavy rain, winds and flashes of lightning forced the teams to remain in the dressing room for 95 minutes before play restarted on a difficult pitch.
It always looked one of those nights for the Swans as an own goal from Jordi Amat set up Richmond Kickers for victory, with substitute Anthony Grant wrapping things up in Virginia.
Andre Ayew started up front for his first appearance of the tour as manager Francesco Guidolin gave his full squad game-time for their second and final friendly on American soil.
Ayew missed the opening 4-0 win at Charlotte after arriving later than the main travelling party having been given extra time off due to his international commitments at the end of last season.
Kristoffer Nordfeldt started his second game in goal with Connor Roberts and Kyle Naughton at full-back. Jordi Amat and Federico Fernandez partnered in the heart of the defence.
Leroy Fer and Jay Fulton started in midfield with Wayne Routledge, skipper on the night, in the No.10 role. They were supported on the flanks by Daniel James and Mo Barrow.
The Swans faced a Richmond side who play their football in the United Soccer League. They are among the oldest continuously operating soccer clubs in America, with a City Stadium capacity of 22,600, although this is restricted to 9,000 for soccer games.
Their head coach, Leigh Cowlishaw, was born in Burton upon Trent, but moved to America at 19 to play for Richmond University and then the Kickers.
However, they were without former Carmarthen Town striker and Swans trialist, Mathew Delicate, their all-time leading scorer, who was still recovering from a cancer scare.
Swans (first-half): Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Connor Roberts, Kyle Naughton, Jordi Amat, Federico Fernandez, Leroy Fer, Daniel James, Jay Fulton, Wayne Routledge (c), Modou Barrow, Andre Ayew.
Subs: Gerhard Tremmel, Stephen Kingsley, Angel Rangel, Joe Rodon, Mike van der Hoorn, Leon Britton, Jack Cork, Adam King, Kenji Gorre, Nathan Dyer, Ollie McBurnie.
Richmond Kickers: Travis Worra, Chris Durkin, Hugh Roberts, Braeden Troyer, Luke Mishu, Fred Owuso Sekeyre, Miguel Aguilar, Yudai Imura, Samuel Asante, Sunny Jane, Brian Owmby.
The game finally got underway after the Welsh and American anthems in front of a crowd of 7,128 that included a good following of American-based Swans fans.
The Swans started the game by dominating possession early on, but it was the home side that created the first chance after eight minutes when Brian Ownby forced Kristoffer Nordfeldt into a save from a tight angle.
And it was Richmond who took the lead in the 11th minute when Ownby broke down the left and his cross was sliced passed Nordfeldt by Jordi Amat for an own goal.
Daniel James tried to respond for the Swans almost immediately after cutting in from the left wing, but his shot flew just wide.
Then Connor Roberts swung in a cross from the left which was just too high for Andre Ayew and his header dropped wide.
With 25 minutes gone, it was time for the first water break to counter the heat and humidity of the evening.
On the restart, Richmond continued to cause Swansea difficulties on the quick counter-attack.
A neat touch from Routledge in the 34th minute set up the overlapping Kyle Naughton, but his dangerous cross was cut out before Mo Barrow fired over as the Swans continued to search for the equaliser.
Barrow then went down in the penalty area only for the referee to signal a corner. But before it could be taken, referee Jorge Gonzalez suspended the game due to lightning.
As a storm closed in, the players were sent to the dressing room where they were expected to remain for at least 30 minutes until further lightning strikes delayed the game even longer.
After a 95 minute delay, play finally restarted with the Swans changing their entire team for the final three minutes of the half.
Gerhard Tremmel started in goal. Stephen Kingsley and Angel Rangel slotted into the full-back berths, with young Joe Rodon and new signing Mike van der Hoorn in central defence.
Leon Britton, Adam King and Jack Cork came on in midfield, with Kenji Gorre and Nathan Dyer on the wings. Ollie McBurnie replaced Ayew in the main striking role.
Luis Fernando and Chris Durkin forced Tremmel into two good saves early on before the teams changed straight around for the second-half.
Half-time: Richmond 1 Swans 0
Swans (second-half): Gerhard Tremmel, Stephen Kingsley, Angel Rangel, Joe Rodon, Mike van der Hoorn, Leon Britton, Jack Cork, Adam King, Kenji Gorre, Nathan Dyer, Ollie McBurnie.
The Swans nearly fell two goals behind in the 50th minute when substitute Anthony Grant burst clear, despite looking offside, but Tremmel made a fine save.
Swansea responded immediately as Nathan Dyer broke forward with a good run. He found Kenji Gorre in support, but the winger's shot was deflected onto the roof of the net.
Ollie McBurnie also came close in the 58th minute when he picked up a pass from Dyer only to fire inches over from the edge of the area.
Then Swansea carved out the best move of the game in the 72nd minute when Nathan Dyer and Angel Rangel combined superbly before Dyer pulled a cross back to Jack Cork who drilled a low shot just passed the post.
It sparked a good spell of pressure for the visitors as Rangel again set up Dyer with a clever back heel. But Richmond managed to scramble his cross clear as McBurnie tried to pounce.
But with the Swans pushing hard for the equaliser, they were rocked back on their heels by Anthony Grant who latched on to a through ball from Jackson Eskay before slipping his shot through the legs of Tremmel with 74 minutes gone.
The Swans were getting frustrated now as Dyer, who had been sharp throughout the second half, picked up the first yellow card of the game for a foul.
McBurnie forced a save out of Worra late on before Leon Britton became the second Swans player in the referee's notebook before the official brought an eventful night to a close.
It was a difficult evening for the Swans at the City Stadium after the game was suspended in the 42nd minute due to lightning.
As a severe storm swept in, heavy rain, winds and flashes of lightning forced the teams to remain in the dressing room for 95 minutes before play restarted on a difficult pitch.
It always looked one of those nights for the Swans as an own goal from Jordi Amat set up Richmond Kickers for victory, with substitute Anthony Grant wrapping things up in Virginia.
Andre Ayew started up front for his first appearance of the tour as manager Francesco Guidolin gave his full squad game-time for their second and final friendly on American soil.
Ayew missed the opening 4-0 win at Charlotte after arriving later than the main travelling party having been given extra time off due to his international commitments at the end of last season.
Kristoffer Nordfeldt started his second game in goal with Connor Roberts and Kyle Naughton at full-back. Jordi Amat and Federico Fernandez partnered in the heart of the defence.
Leroy Fer and Jay Fulton started in midfield with Wayne Routledge, skipper on the night, in the No.10 role. They were supported on the flanks by Daniel James and Mo Barrow.
The Swans faced a Richmond side who play their football in the United Soccer League. They are among the oldest continuously operating soccer clubs in America, with a City Stadium capacity of 22,600, although this is restricted to 9,000 for soccer games.
Their head coach, Leigh Cowlishaw, was born in Burton upon Trent, but moved to America at 19 to play for Richmond University and then the Kickers.
However, they were without former Carmarthen Town striker and Swans trialist, Mathew Delicate, their all-time leading scorer, who was still recovering from a cancer scare.
Swans (first-half): Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Connor Roberts, Kyle Naughton, Jordi Amat, Federico Fernandez, Leroy Fer, Daniel James, Jay Fulton, Wayne Routledge (c), Modou Barrow, Andre Ayew.
Subs: Gerhard Tremmel, Stephen Kingsley, Angel Rangel, Joe Rodon, Mike van der Hoorn, Leon Britton, Jack Cork, Adam King, Kenji Gorre, Nathan Dyer, Ollie McBurnie.
Richmond Kickers: Travis Worra, Chris Durkin, Hugh Roberts, Braeden Troyer, Luke Mishu, Fred Owuso Sekeyre, Miguel Aguilar, Yudai Imura, Samuel Asante, Sunny Jane, Brian Owmby.
The game finally got underway after the Welsh and American anthems in front of a crowd of 7,128 that included a good following of American-based Swans fans.
The Swans started the game by dominating possession early on, but it was the home side that created the first chance after eight minutes when Brian Ownby forced Kristoffer Nordfeldt into a save from a tight angle.
And it was Richmond who took the lead in the 11th minute when Ownby broke down the left and his cross was sliced passed Nordfeldt by Jordi Amat for an own goal.
Daniel James tried to respond for the Swans almost immediately after cutting in from the left wing, but his shot flew just wide.
Then Connor Roberts swung in a cross from the left which was just too high for Andre Ayew and his header dropped wide.
With 25 minutes gone, it was time for the first water break to counter the heat and humidity of the evening.
On the restart, Richmond continued to cause Swansea difficulties on the quick counter-attack.
A neat touch from Routledge in the 34th minute set up the overlapping Kyle Naughton, but his dangerous cross was cut out before Mo Barrow fired over as the Swans continued to search for the equaliser.
Barrow then went down in the penalty area only for the referee to signal a corner. But before it could be taken, referee Jorge Gonzalez suspended the game due to lightning.
As a storm closed in, the players were sent to the dressing room where they were expected to remain for at least 30 minutes until further lightning strikes delayed the game even longer.
After a 95 minute delay, play finally restarted with the Swans changing their entire team for the final three minutes of the half.
Gerhard Tremmel started in goal. Stephen Kingsley and Angel Rangel slotted into the full-back berths, with young Joe Rodon and new signing Mike van der Hoorn in central defence.
Leon Britton, Adam King and Jack Cork came on in midfield, with Kenji Gorre and Nathan Dyer on the wings. Ollie McBurnie replaced Ayew in the main striking role.
Luis Fernando and Chris Durkin forced Tremmel into two good saves early on before the teams changed straight around for the second-half.
Half-time: Richmond 1 Swans 0
Swans (second-half): Gerhard Tremmel, Stephen Kingsley, Angel Rangel, Joe Rodon, Mike van der Hoorn, Leon Britton, Jack Cork, Adam King, Kenji Gorre, Nathan Dyer, Ollie McBurnie.
The Swans nearly fell two goals behind in the 50th minute when substitute Anthony Grant burst clear, despite looking offside, but Tremmel made a fine save.
Swansea responded immediately as Nathan Dyer broke forward with a good run. He found Kenji Gorre in support, but the winger's shot was deflected onto the roof of the net.
Ollie McBurnie also came close in the 58th minute when he picked up a pass from Dyer only to fire inches over from the edge of the area.
Then Swansea carved out the best move of the game in the 72nd minute when Nathan Dyer and Angel Rangel combined superbly before Dyer pulled a cross back to Jack Cork who drilled a low shot just passed the post.
It sparked a good spell of pressure for the visitors as Rangel again set up Dyer with a clever back heel. But Richmond managed to scramble his cross clear as McBurnie tried to pounce.
But with the Swans pushing hard for the equaliser, they were rocked back on their heels by Anthony Grant who latched on to a through ball from Jackson Eskay before slipping his shot through the legs of Tremmel with 74 minutes gone.
The Swans were getting frustrated now as Dyer, who had been sharp throughout the second half, picked up the first yellow card of the game for a foul.
McBurnie forced a save out of Worra late on before Leon Britton became the second Swans player in the referee's notebook before the official brought an eventful night to a close.
