Swansea City 1-2 Sheffield United: Wilder’s Subs Inspire Second Half Comeback Win | OneFootball

It was a remarkable second half comeback from Sheffield United that stole all three points from Tuesday night’s hosts Swansea City to go back to the top of the Championship.

The home team kicked off the scoring inside ten minutes when Florian Bianchini took advantage of an open goal following Michael Cooper’s initial fantastic reaction save from close range to deny Ben Cabango’s header.

United’s comeback began just two minutes into the second half when Rhian Brewster turned the ball into the bottom left corner amongst a crowded penalty area. And a couple of minutes after that, the home team were reduced to ten men after Harry Darling’s lunge on Brewster on the halfway line. The Blades completed the comeback through Harrison Burrows’ penalty in the 68th minute.

Rhys Norrington-Davies and Andre Brooks were brought into the eleven by Chris Wilder as McCallum dropped to the bench, and the injured Tom Davies was replaced by Ben Brereton Diaz on the bench.

Lineups

Swansea: Vigouroux, Key, Cabango, Darling, Grimes, Tymon, Franco, Bianchini, Cullen (Naughton 59), Peart-Harris (Parker 88), Ronald.

Unused: McLaughlin, Fulton, Allen, Vipotnik, Ji-Sung, Ginnelly, Christie.

Blades: Cooper, Gilchrist (Seriki 45), Brewster (Brereton Diaz 71), Hamer, O’Hare (Blacker 90), Burrows, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Norrington-Davies (McCallum 45), Brooks (Campbell 45), Peck.

Unused: A. Davies, Baptiste, Marsh, Oné.

First Half

Swansea City took control of the game from the first whistle, dictating the tempo of the game and even out-battling United in the middle of the park. And it didn’t take long for them to register their first shot on goal as Cullen swung his left foot at the ball from a cutback inside three minutes.

Seconds later, Hamer pressed a defender into a mistake inside his own box. After Hamer pinched the ball, he drove to the left byline and drilled a left-footed effort into the side netting, when he had a couple of teammates screaming for a cutback.

The Blades gave away a cheap free-kick deep in their own half on their right side which allowed superb set-piece taker Grimes to whip in a perfect cross into the box. Cabango timed his run and jump well, and he made great contact with the ball but his effort was expertly denied by Cooper in United’s goal. However, Sheffield United couldn’t intervene as the ball dropped to Florian Bianchini for a tap-in on seven minutes.

Swansea looked the more likely to score the next goal and they came close through Tymon, Peart-Harris and Cullen. The away side were lucky to head into the break only a goal down after Darling’s near post flick-on from a corner was allowed to bounce down at the far post without anybody touching it.

Gustavo Hamer picked up a booking late in the first half – he will miss the next two games because of it.

Second Half

SWANSEA, WALES – JANUARY 21: Rhian Brewster of Sheffield United scores his side’s first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Swansea City AFC and Sheffield United FC at Swansea.com Stadium on January 21, 2025 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Chris Wilder had seen enough and he made several changes at half-time, bringing on: Femi Seriki for Alfie Gilchrist, Sam McCallum for Rhys Norrington-Davies, and Tyrese Campbell for Andre Brooks.

You could see an instant shift in tempo and attitude from the Sheffield United players following these subs, and within two minutes those changes paid off. Seriki exploded down the right side, taking on his man to the byline before delivering a precise low cross to Rhian Brewster who tucked the ball neatly into the bottom left corner.

The momentum was firmly in United’s favour on 50 minutes as Darling was shown a straight red for a high lunging tackle on the goalscorer Brewster. A few moments later, the Blades almost took full advantage of their man advantage as McCallum steamed into the box from left-back, to meet another great low cross by Seriki, but he lost his composure and cannoned his first time finish way over the bar.

Campbell was causing all kinds of problems for the Swansea back line since entering the pitch, and what his pace and movement which earned the Blades a spot kick and a chance to complete a wonderful second half comeback after he was tripped by Josh Key. Harrison Burrows stepped up and finished off the penalty in the 68th minute giving the Blades the lead, and making it three goals in two games now for the left-back.

Ben Brereton Diaz came on to replace Rhian Brewster, and last season’s fan-favourite almost scored on his second debut for the club. After some fancy feet from Campbell to shift the ball past a defender, his lofted shot was saved by the onrushing keeper, and it then fell for Brereton Diaz to have a crack but his effort was crucially blocked. The ball then ricocheted back to the Chilean who tee’d up Burrows on the edge of the box, but his strike sailed over the bar.

The Blades had opportunities to break and potentially kill the game off. Instead, they chose to professionally see the game out in the corner flag. But, in the final seconds of the six minutes of injury time, Hamer was released down the left with acres of space between him and the recovering centre-back, and there was a Blades player running up to support a two-vs-one. Yet, the referee called a halt to proceedings to the annoyance of the Sheffield United supporters and players.

United are now picking up a head of steam, winning three straight Championship games, and they’re now sitting top of the league with a two-point gap to Leeds United in second, and a four-point advantage over third-place Sunderland.