Eom to the rescue as Swans leave it late to beat Derby

The South Korean international’s second in the last three home games, tapping home Josh Key’s cross from close range would prove to be enough to take all three points for Swansea in a largely forgettable contest lacking quality in the final third.

Having announced interim Alan Sheehan as head coach till the end of the current campaign, the Swans came into the match looking to build on the dramatic late point earned in the 2-2 draw at Leeds last weekend.

Žan Vipotnik’s 96-minute equaliser boosting the Swans hopes of stabilising and maintaining their Championship status for an eighth successive season.

Sheehan admitted his side are now in a ‘dogfight’ after Derby’s midweek over Preston reduced the gap to the bottom three to just five points before the meeting of the two sides. The Swans boss was under no illusions about the threat the Rams would hold after four wins on the bounce giving all the momentum to the resurgent visitors.

Unbeaten in their last four against Derby, including a 2-1 win back in November, The Irishman would name an unchanged starting lineup.

Without on-loan Swans forward Jerry Yates, Derby would bring in forward Kayden Jackson as one of three changes. Defender Sondre Langas and wing-back Kane Wilson also coming in for the Rams.

On a sun-soaked afternoon in south Wales, it would be the weather that would be more of a talking point than the football offered in the first 45 minutes.

Cancelling each other out with their tactical stances, both sides understandably would be cautious with their forays into the opposing halves. The visitors having the best of the chances with Wilson firing into the side netting after a left-wing cross had failed to be cleared by the Swansea defence.

Both sides looked to up the tempo after the break with the Swans probing the Derby penalty searching for an opening, but struggled to find quality in their final delivery.

Sheehan threw on Vipotnik and Eom in search of creativity and penetration in the final third but it would be the visitors who would look the more likely to score.

Wilson showing a rare moment of quality to play a ball across the face of the goal from the right an outstretched Jackson would not be able to get a touch to trouble Lawrence Vigouroux in the Swansea goal, whilst midfielder Harrison Armstrong’s hopeful drive from distance would be straight at the former Burnley man.

With the game looking like heading for a draw, it would be the Swans who would break the deadlock with a rare moment of quality. Substitute Eom arriving late at the back post to tap home from close range after Josh Key had picked out the Korean’s defense-splitting run from the right-hand side.

The Swans would weather a late storm as Derby looked to force the issue but would hold on for a vital three points in their bid to remain in the Championship next season.

Swansea City lineup

Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Tymon, Josh Key, Harry Darling, Hannes Delcroix (Ji Sung-Eom 62), Ben Cabango (captain), Ronald (Cyrus Christie 90), Gonçalo Franco (Žan Vipotnik 62) , Jay Fulton (Joe Allen 76), Lewis O’Brien Liam Cullen.

Derby County lineup

Jacob Zetterstrom, Nathaniel Phillips, Matt Clarke, Craig Forsyth, Sondre Langas (Tom Barkhuizen 83), Ebou Adams (captain) (Nathaniel Mendez-Laing 83), Harrison Armstrong, Liam Thompson (Kenzo Goudmijn 83), Kane Wilson, Marcus Harness, Kayden Jackson.

[Lead image: Swansea City FC]