The two sides could not be separated at the Swansea.com Stadium with the scores level at 1-1 after Zan Vipotnic’s stunning 25-yard strike opened the scoring for the Swans.
Plymouth defender Brendan Wiredu headed home ex-Swan Matty Sorinola’s free-kick to level proceedings before both sides had chances to win the tie in normal time.
Argyle goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond would deny Vipotnik a second goal saving from close-range, whilst the Pilgrims number one would save from Meker Widell, before on-loan Brighton midfielder Malick Yalcouye would miss-judge a free header in the box after coming on in a batch of pre-planned substitutes on the hour mark.
With the game petering towards a deadlock, Argyle forward Bim Pepple would have two superb opportunities to cause a cup shock for the visitors. The first, a close-range effort which would be saved by Swans stand in keeper Andy Fisher, before the same player would get his angles wrong with a chance to score on the goal line from the resulting corner.
So, to penalties where all the Swans takers would be successful. Widell tucking home the winning spot-kick after goalkeeper Fisher had saved from Sorinola to send the home side into the next round.
After a fourth game unbeaten at home in a fortnight, a relieved Sheehan was pleased to progress.
“We asked to get through to the next round and we got the job done,” said Sheehan after the tie.
“I think we made it more difficult than we perhaps should have.
“In the first half I was happy with a lot of things – we controlled the game for 43 minutes until the set-piece which was obviously disappointing and then Plymouth came out on the front-foot, and it became a bit of a basketball game.
“We’re creating a lot of chances where we need people to get on the end of things.
“But that was a moment of excellence from VP [Vipotnik] to back up his goal the other day.
“It was a game that, potentially, we should have finished in the first half. We created chances. Melker [Widell] had a few and VP’s had a few.
“We didn’t get that second goal and then we allowed them in with a set play.
“But ultimately, we stayed in the game and got through to the next round.
“VP has played a number of games for us, and we want to be that relentless team that keeps going without the ball and with the ball.
“He had a good moment on Saturday and another big moment [against Plymouth].
“So that’s what we want from our attacking players, to be scoring goals. So, I’m happy with VP for that.”
[Lead Image: Swansea City FC]
