Planet Swans ArchivesIn a pretty one sided game at the Liberty, the Swans were never made really to break second gear at times as they passed the ball about with ease and in truth could probably have had more particularly in the second half as the Swedes found themselves cooked on a warm night in Swansea.
Bony’s double was sandwiched in between an opener for Michu and a first Swans goal for Pozuelo making the second leg in Sweden next week nothing more than a formality for the Swans who can now look forward surely to two more Europa League dates at minimum on August 22 and 29.
There were debuts handed for the Swans to Jordi Amat, who was in for the injured Chico Flores, Jonjo Shelvey and Bony in the starting line up as Michael Laudrup utilised many of his squad particularly with his substitutions also giving debuts to Jose Canas and Pozuelo.
The Swans started sharply and were soon into their passing game with the ball being sprung around the park with ease with short crisp passes with the occasional long ball from Shelvey normally finding his man when we wanted it to. But despite the lions share of possession the first half hour of the game passed by with no real threat to the Malmo goal – the first effort being a long shot from Shelvey that didn’t trouble the keeper at all.
But despite that lack of threat on goal you always felt it was a matter of time and so it proved when Routledge’s through ball found Michu (thanks largely to a defender slipping) and last season’s top scorer opened his account with a shot into the bottom corner past the outstretched keeper’s hand.
That was it for the first half but the breakthrough had happened and you couldn’t help but feel at half time that there was more to follow and so it proved.
Bony headed home a Routledge cross from close range and shortly after was on hand to finish into an empty net after Michu’s shot came back off a post and the game was as good as over as the Liberty celebrated a three goal advantage.
Pozuelo scored the goal of the match when he finished off a typical Swansea passing move with five minutes to go and at that point it was impossible to remember a save that Vorm had to make at the other end such was the domination of the Swans.
From an impressive point of view, naturally Bony will take many of the headlines thanks to his brace but Shelvey and Pozuelo both impressed in midfield and Amat at the back was more than an adequate replacement for Chico and definitely gives us good cover at centre back when we need it.
Off to Sweden next week for the second leg that will see the Swans progress to the next stage of the competition and on this form then you can certainly believe in Michael’s words today that we can go far in the competition. A great start to the season, bring on the next game.
JACK ARMY!!
