Swansea 1-1 Barnsley (agg: 2-1): Championship play-off semi-final, second leg – as it happened
22-May-2021 19:58:54 | The Guardian
That extra touch of class across two legs paved the way for Swansea City to set up a Wembley shoot-out against Brentford
Ben Fisher has his finger pressed firmly against the pulse of all things Championship and brings you this report from the Liberty Stadium. Read on ...
Related: Matt Grimes’ sweet strike takes Swansea past Barnsley and into play-off final
Andre Ayew takes the mike: “First of all I am very happy,” says the Swansea striker, who scored a beauty in the first leg. “One more game to achieve our goal. We worked very hard this season and now, you know, the fans are here. We are going to Wembley in front of our fans, we are happy but nothing is done. It’s another step forward but now we need to go and enjoy this victory and really prepare well for Saturday because there’s one more step.”
We're going to Wembley!!!!! #Believe pic.twitter.com/YZISrhwNE0
Matt Grimes speaks: “I don’t think I can to be honest,” says Swansea’s goalscorer and skipper when asked to sum the game up by Sky Sports. “It wasn’t the prettiest of games but we got the job done. The lads dug in at the end there ... I’m just so happy. So happy.”
On his goal: “It means the world to me but to win the game and get the club to Wembley and give us the chance to get the club back to the Premier League ... I’m buzzing about that. The fans as well have been different class and I’m so glad to have them back.”
Swansea are through to the play-off final! It was tense, nervy, not a great spectacle and seat of the pants of the pants stuff, but two moments of class across both legs are enough to see the Swans through to the play-off final against Brentford.
90+4 min: Barnsley go close again. The cross from Helik - Williams skims a header well wide of the far upright.
90+2 min: Connor Roberts has quite literally had the shirt pulled off his back by Carlton Morris. Actually no, upon reflection (and the benefit of a replay), that’s not quite true - he had it semi-removed before ripping it off his own back and chucking it towards the sidelines. He puts it back on.
90+1 min: FIVE MINUTES OF ADD-ONS!!!! Say your prayers, Barnsley fans,
89 min: Korey Smith finds himself on a one on one against Barnsley goalkeeper Brad Collins, tries to take the ball around him and seal the deal for Swansea but is foiled by some good goalkeeping. Hats off to Collins for staying on his feet.
87 min: Korey Smith tries to play Andre Ayew in between defenders, but they put a stop to what passes for his gallop. These players are exhausted.
85 min: Swansea City are very much on the back foot as the game approaches its knockings.
83 min: Carlton Morris gives his marker the slip and connects with a corner aimed to the far post. His looping header lands on the roof of the Swansea net.
80 min: That Barnsley goal seems to have knocked Swansea for at least five, if not six - they look a bit rattled. Another Barnsley goal would take us to extra time. A reminder: the away goals rule does not count in these play-offs.
75 min: Swansea substitution: top Irishman Conor Hourihane off, top Englishman Korey Smith on.
73 min: Barnsley conjure a goal out of absolutely nothing and it’s a bit “Manchester City”. Jordan Williams galloped up the right wing on the break with several team-mates in support before pulling the ball back to Cauley Woodrow on the edge of the Swans penalty area. He unleashed a first-time effort that arrowed into the far corner.
Ha-ha! I know nothing! Barnsley pull a goal back through their presidential No9!
68 min: Alex Mowatt tries a shot from the edge of the Swansea penalty area but his effort is blocked by Jake Bidwell. Difficult to see a way back for Barnsley at this stage, it must be said. They’re offering very little - lots off honest huff and puff but no sign of Swansea’s increasingly impregnable house being blown down.
66 min: Good news for Swans fans - Wayne Routledge has just limped his way up the stairway of the stands to take a seat and watch the rest of the game, waving to fans as he did so. “He doesn’t even have an ice-pack!” says Andy Hinchcliffe, who is on co-comms duty for Sky Sports.
64 min: A decent save from Freddie Woodman from the set piece, after Carlton Morris is picked out at the back post and heads goalwards. He puts the ball behind for another corner, from which nothing comes.
63 min: Barnsley win a corner after Andre Ayew puts the ball behind.
59 min: Now goalscorer Matt Grimes is on the deck after being clattered from behind in a battle for a high ball with his former Leeds team-mate Alex Mowatt. The game remains scrappy, punctuated by fouls, free-kicks and throw-ins ... a state of affairs that will suit Swansea just fine.
55 min: Routledge is carried down the tunnel on a stretcher, visibly upset with his hands over his face. Judging by his reaction after he went to ground, it looks like he might have “done” his knee ligaments. Here’s hoping it’s not as bad as it seems on first impressions and he makes a speedy recovery.
52 min: Routledge is helped to the touchline with his arm around the shoulders of one of Swansea’s medical staff, then placed on a stretcher. He’s replaced by Connor Roberts.
49 min: There’s a lengthy break in play as Wayne Routledge goes down with what looks like a very nasty knee injury. He twisted it on landing after contesting a high ball and looks in a huge amount of distress.
46 min: Play resumes with two changes in personnel on the Barnsley side. Jordan Williams and Daryl Dike are on for Romal Palmer and Victor Adeboyejo.
From the blurb: “Barry cannot wait for this live show, despite rejecting every idea proposed for it so far.” I did not write that but it’s 100 per cent true.
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Peep! It was a scrappy half that will not live long in the memory but a moment of class from Swansea midfielder Matt Grimes doubled his side’s lead across the two legs. They’re in the box seat to progress to next weekend’s Wembley final against Brentford.
45+1 min: We’re into added time at the end of the first half and Barnsley manager Valerian Ismael is going crazy on the touchline as he barks instructions at his players. He’s a scary looking bloke.
43 min: A vicious inswinger of a corner from Conor Hourihane puts Barnsley goalkeeper Brad Collins under intense pressure. He does well to punch clear as Andre Ayew and Jamal Lowe try to crowd him off the ball on his own goal line.
41 min: Apologies, I got my Callums mixed up. It was Callum Brittain who was made to look foolish by a preposterously good first touch from Grimes, which took the defender out of the game. The midfielder shaped to shoot but instead stopped the ball dead before glancing up and curling home with a terrific finish.
Swansea double their advantage! The free-kick is parried as far as Matt Grimes at the edge of the Barnsley penalty area. With a wonderful first touch, he takes it past Callum Styles before curling a wonderful shot from distance inside the far post. That is a splendid goal!
38 min: Routledge wins a free-kick for Swansea near the touchline, drawing a foul from Michal Helik. Hourihane crosses the ball ... oh, hang on.
34 min: Andre Ayew is fouled by Mads Andersen over by the touchline on the halfway line and goes to ground with a piercing scream. It’s a ridiculously over-the-top reaction to a fairly innocuous challenge. Andersen gets a ticking off from the referee, who keeps his yellow card in his pocket.
31 min: Carlton Morris is teed up on the edge of the penalty area by Callum Brittain, but a poor first touch enables Marc Guehi to stretch and prevent him from taking a shot. That was a decent chance!
29 min: Definitely not a game for the opurists, as an impromptu game of head tennis breaks out in the middle third before Jamal Lowe hooks the ball aimlessly forward. Brad Collins collects.
26 min: Very little in the way of chances for either side but plenty in the way of free-kicks and throw-ins. It’s fairly scrappy, which will suit Swansea City just fine. From the left-hand side of the pitch, Callum Brittain sends a cross straight into the gloves of Freddie Woodman.
23 min: Swansea win a throw-in deep in Barnsley territory but end up playing the ball all the way back to their goalkeeper, Freddie Woodman. They continue to hold the advantage in a tie that remains on a knife-edge.
21 min: Corner for Barnsley. Alex Mowatt fizzes a low cross towards an empty space in the middle of the Swansea penalty area, where Brittain fails to connect.
20 min: A throw-in for Barnsley, deep in Swansea territory. Callum Brittain chucks the ball long but it’s cleared at the near post.
19 min: Kyle Naughton tries to pick out Lowe with a crossfield pass as Swansea attack on the break, but his delivery is too high for the left-winger to keep in play.
18 min: Jamal Lowe plays Andre Ayew in behind after good work by Wayne Routledge. His pass is a mite too heavy, allowing Barnsley goalkeeper Brad Collins to rush off his line and claim it.
16 min: Conor Hourihane goes down holding the back of his head after being clattered from behind while contesting a high ball with Toby Sibbick. It was a blatant foul but he doesn’t win a free-kick against his former side.
15 min: Matt Grimes loses possession cheaply to Barnsley’s Alex Mowatt near the halfway line, but the 26-year-old from Doncaster is unable to capitalise on the error.
12 min: Sibbick thumps the ball long in the direct Barnsley style but Swansea clear up at the back.
11 min: Jamal Lowe chases a through ball trying to get in behind Barnsley’s famously high defensive line, but Michal Helik has the legs to get back and prod the ball off his toe.
9 min: Barnsley goalkeeper Brad Collins parries Conor Hourihane’s inswinger, then clutches the return delivery to his chest.
7 min: Routledge wins a throw-in for Swansea deep in Barnsley territory, while unsuccessfully trying to get in behind Toby Sibbick. Moments later, Sibbick gives away a free-kick down by the corner flag for a needless shove in the back of Jamal Lowe.
6 min: Now it’s Wayne Routledge’s turn to be caught offside, as he jumps the gun while trying to chase a pass from deep.
4 min: Barnsley win a throw-in halfway inside the Swans half, then a free-kick a few yards outside the hosts’ penalty area to the right when Alex Mowatt is fouled. Nothing comes from the set piece, as Barnsley are caught offside by Swansea’s high defensive line.
3 min: Barnsley’s Callum Brittain gives the ball away cheaply on the edge of the final third but immediately wins it back again.
2 min: Huge congestion in the middle third of the field over by the far touchline as Barnsley win a throw-in early doors.
1 min: Barnsley get the ball rolling, their players wearing red shirts, white shorts and red socks. The players of Swansea wear white shirts, black shorts and white socks.
Not long now: The 3,500 or so Swans fans applaud their team on to the pitch for the first time this season, as they march purposefully out on to the Liberty Stadium sward to line up. Kick-off is just a minute or two away.
A celebrity cameo: Comedian, thespian, podcaster, friend of the Guardian’s Football Weekly and Swansea City enthusiast Elis James has sent a Whatsapp message: “We haven’t lost at home to Barnsley since 1974,” he writes. “So looking forward to tonight’s 2-0 defeat.”
Ahoy there! Follow Guardian Sport on Snap Chat. Or TikTok. Or Instagram. Or wherever it is young and trendy influencers are to be found these days.
Those teams: Three times a winner of promotion to the Premier League, Wayne Routledge comes into the Swansea line-up in place of Liam Cullen, who drops to the bench.
Barnsley make two changes, with Carlton Morris and Victor Adeboyejo stepping up to the plate in place of Dominic Frieser and Daryl Dike, who are named among the substitutes.
Swansea City: Woodman; Naughton, Cabango, Guehi, Bidwell; Grimes, Fulton, Hourihane; Ayew, Routledge, Lowe.
Subs: Hamer, Roberts, Manning, Bennett, Latibeaudiere, Smith, Dhanda, Cullen, Whittaker.
THE REDS
⚠️ STARTING XI ⚠️
Here’s how the #Swans line up this evening #Believe pic.twitter.com/SvVvYkxD7P
Referee: John Brooks
Referee’s assitants: Nick Greenhalgh and Matthew Jones
Fourth Official: Matthew Donohue
Valerian Ismael speaks: “We need to start the game on Saturday like we did the second half at Oakwell,” said the Barnsley manager, who has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace.
“That control, that intensity, it is what we need from the first whistle. Swansea didn’t play their best game, but they were focused and disciplined and did the simple things properly. I think we are well prepared, we know what we need to do and this is the play-offs - anything can happen. They’re very strong, very stable.”
Steve Cooper speaks: “The first thing when the final whistle went on Monday was knowing we now have opportunity to do the same in our own stadium, in front of our own fans,” said the Swans manager. “It’s something to look forward to, we’ve missed having supporters in stadiums, particularly our own. Having some supporters back is long overdue, it’s an important game and it is something to look forward to and cherish.
“We have to be motivated and ready to play in front of them, it’s just not been the same without them. The atmosphere on Monday made everyone realise that is how thing are supposed to be, and it will be even better and more appreciated when we get full crowds back.
Early team news: Neither side has any new injury concerns following Monday’s first leg and it would not be a huge surprise if both managers field unchanged teams. Barnsley winger Carlton Morris may start in place of Dominik Frieser after giving a good account of himself off the bench in the first leg.
A Wembley showdown against Brentford with the richest prize in football at stake awaits whoever emerges victorious from a Championship play-off semi-final that could scarcely be on more of a knife-edge.
Swansea City lead by the most slender of margins, having beaten Barnsley by the only goal of the first leg at Oakwell, where a moment of class from Andre Ayew separated the sides. Kick-off at the Liberty Stadium is at 6.30pm, but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
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