SWANS: Opoku on target as Swansea edge Leganes in final friendly

New signing Joseph Opoku got off the mark as Swansea City finished their pre-season schedule with a 1-0 victory over CD Leganes at the Swansea.com Stadium this afternoon.

The match against the side in the Spanish second tier would be a useful exercise for head coach Vitor Matos to assess his side ahead of the season opener against Birmingham City in the League Cup next weekend.

It would also be a chance for the home faithful to catch a glimpse of a trio of the summer’s new attacking recruits in Opoku, Moussa Yeo and Elijah Just who all looked lively in bright first 45 minutes from the Swans.

It would be the visitors who would, however, enjoy the lion’s share of the early possession without creating anything notable for home goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux to be troubled with.

The Swans would work their way into the game and with the midfield presence of World Cup New Zealander Marko Stamenic controlling proceedings, the hosts would start to open up their Spanish counterparts.

Stamenic testing visiting goalkeeper Raul Fernandez from range, before forward Adam Idah then teed up Just to flash an effort wide of the post as the new Swans attacking midfield trio behind the Irishman showed early promise.

The goal came shortly before half-time, after Leganes defender Gonzalo Lopez played a weak back pass which was chased down by Idah.

Fernandez denied the forward with a sliding clearance, but an onrushing Opoku accepted the invitation to guide the ball into the empty net with a precise first-time effort from 20 yards.

It was a first Swansea goal for the 20-year-old, who joined from Belgian side Zulte Waregem last week on a four-year deal as Matos’ fifth summer signing, and who linked up with the squad midway through the Austria training camp.

The Ghanaian might have had a second after the break, after more good work from Idah and Just, but this time the winger’s drive curled a yard wide of the far post, whilst Moroccan playmaker Yassine Kechta had Leganes’ best chance when his chip was expertly saved by the Chilean who enjoyed an otherwise quiet afternoon.

Swansea largely maintained their control despite the inevitable flurry of second-half substitutes, with Zan Vipotnik making a welcome appearance from the bench having missed the previous three friendlies through injury.

Last season’s Championship top scorer got 16 minutes under his belt which will be a welcome sight to boss Matos ahead of the new season.

The Slovenian ended last season as the Championship’s leading scorer with 23 league goals, and his return to the pitch removes the biggest question hanging over the Swans’ attack.

The visitors nearly levelled late with substitute Ruben Pulido heading against the crossbar unchallenged in stoppage-time as the visitors finished the stronger, but the Swans held on for the victory.

Matos ends pre-season with his squad still moving. Liam Cullen completed his move to Leicester City on Thursday and Cameron Congreve is set to join Belgian side Westerlo, with further exits expected before the window shuts.

Swansea City XI

Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Key, Marko Stamenic (Inoussa 74), Melker Widwell (Walta 46), Elijah Just (Fulton 62), Josh Tymon, Cameron Burgess (Captain) (Heywood 74), Filip Lissah (Parker 87), Joseph Opoku (Ronald 62), Adam Idah (Vipotnik 74), Moussa Yeo (Eom 46).

CD Leganes XI

Raul Fernandez, Marvelous Garzon, Ignasi Miquel Pons (Captain) (Pulido 46), Gonzalo Lopez, Yassine Kechta (Campos 54), Alejandro Milan Iranzo, Zico Buurmeester, Enric Franquesa (Garcia 46), Ismael Gharbi (Herrero 65), Miguel Angel Atienza, Alvaro Tejaro (Peña 46).

Author

Richard Bond

Swansea-based sports journalist.
Twitter: @RichBond00
Email: RichardBond@swanseabaynews.com