Swansea City 1-0 Sheffield United: Blades Fail to Hit Target in Another Loss | OneFootball

Sheffield United continued their losing ways to start the new campaign after narrowly losing 1-0 away to Swansea City.

The game was lacking any real quality, especially from the Blades, but that all changed just after the hour mark when Ronald fired a shot from the edge of the box into the right side of the goal as Michael Cooper got a slight touch on it but was at full stretch.

Ruben Selles brought Djibril Soumare into the starting lineup for the first time in the Championship. Captain Jack Robinson also made his first league start of the season following speculation regarding his future of the club.

Lineups

Swansea: Vigouroux, Key, Cabango, Yalcouye (Widell 62), Eom (Inoussa 62), Tymon, Burgess, Franco, Cullen (Wales 90), Galbraith, Ronald (Fulton 90).

Unused: Fisher, Casey, Cooper, Parker.

Blades: Cooper, Bindon, Hamer, O’Hare, Burrows, Soumaré (Brooks 76), Robinson, Campbell (Cannon 62) Barry (Oné 76), Seriki, Peck.

Unused: A. Davies, McCallum, Ukaki, Curtis, Norrington-Davies, Hampson.

First Half

The Blades looked vulnerable in the opening period, which was largely dominated by the hosts. Within the first minute, Josh Tymon flashed an effort just wide of Michael Cooper’s post, setting the tone for a lively start from Alan Sheehan’s side.

The best opportunity of the half arrived shortly after when Ivory Coast Under-23 international Yalcouye collided with Djibril Soumaré but recovered quickest to surge towards goal. However, he hesitated at the crucial moment, allowing his shot to be blocked, while Ronald’s follow-up was beaten away by Cooper.

United slowly grew into proceedings, testing Swansea’s resilience from set-pieces and long throws. Jack Robinson’s towering header from a Gustavo Hamer corner drifted just over with goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux stranded. Sydie Peck then saw a header scrambled off the line, before Harrison Burrows was denied by an outstretched leg.

At the other end, Swansea remained a threat in the air, with Liam Cullen and Cameron Burgess both spurning headed chances. Ruben Selles cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as his side struggled to impose themselves, but the Spaniard would have taken encouragement from the way United finished the half.

Louie Barry twice got in behind the Swans’ backline down United’s left, though he couldn’t find a teammate in the box to cut it back to for a shooting opportunity.

Second Half

The second half was lacking in quality. Meanwhile, the Blades began to use subs to try and freshen up the team as they visibly began to look tired on the hour mark.

Tom Cannon was introduced to try and change the game. But it was Swansea who struck on 66 minutes, through Brazilian winger Ronald. After a good block from a long shot, the ball came out to Ronald on the edge of the box and he finished smartly into the bottom right corner to break the deadlock.

Sheffield United couldn’t muster up a single effort on goal, and they remain at the bottom of the Championship.