Vitor Matos hails Swansea City work-rate after Oxford win

Vitor Matos hailed the work-rate of his Swansea City side after they beat Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium to round off 2025 by claiming a first away win since September.

Zan Vipotnik scored the only goal of the game - and his 12th of the season - when he rose to powerfully head home a terrific delivery from Josh Tymon in just the 13th minute.

The Swans did have chances to make the margin of victory more comfortable, but their control of large parts of the game was as much about their work without the ball as with it.

They tirelessly hassled and harried their home side, forcing countless mistakes and giving them the territory to dictate much of the play.

It helped them secure a fourth win in six games, and Matos was delighted with the efforts of his players.

"It was a great win and massive to get the clean sheet, as well," he said.

"We need to keep going with this mentality in how we defend, and how it can help us in how we attack.

"Tonight the mentality was right, the desire was right, and the hunger was there as well.

"We knew it would be important to have the intensity, because it was going to be a hard game with a lot of second balls playing against a team wanting to play in behind the lines.

"I was really pleased with how we handled that, it is something we wanted to have. We need these foundations in terms of how we want to play and that is what I want to see more than anything.

"We need to keep building from this.as there are a lot more games ahead, but we are really happy."

Matos also confirmed that striker Adam Idah is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury suffered before the Boxing Day game at Coventry, while Liam Cullen missed out at the Kassam Stadium with a calf injury that could keep him out for a few weeks.