Match preview: Owls v Swansea

13 April 2021

The Owls return to action at Hillsborough this evening for the rearranged clash with Swansea.

Manager Darren Moore will be back on the touchline after recovering from COVID-19 and spending a period of isolation away from the club.

Wednesday will need to bounce back quickly from the defeat at QPR on Saturday and face a Swans side who are well placed to secure a play-off spot.

Their hopes of automatic promotion look to be over after suffering four defeats on the bounce prior to the 3-0 victory away at Millwall on Saturday.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game:

MATCH DETAILS

Date: Tuesday 13 April
Kick-off: 6.00pm
Championship
Hillsborough

OFFICIALS

Referee - Matthew Donohue
Assistant Referee 1 - Nik Barnard
Assistant Referee 2 - Rob Smith
Fourth Official - Geoff Eltringham

MINUTE'S SILENCE

The game will be preceded by a minute's silence as a mark of respect following the passing of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The players, coaching staff and match officials will wear black armbands.

LIVE BROADCAST

The game will be broadcast live on iFollow with four-camera coverage and commentary from Rob O’Neill and John Pearson.

Match passes are available by CLICKING HERE.

Supporters should note this fixture will not be broadcast via the Sky Sports Red Button service.

FOLLOW THE GAME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Our official Twitter account @swfc will provide a blow-by-blow text update of the game, as well as posting key information from the fixture, including team news at 5.00pm.

Our official Instagram @swfcofficial will also keep you up to date on the latest events and content uploaded to the story throughout the day.

PRE-MATCH

Owls manager Darren Moore returns to Middlewood Road to take training following a period of COVID-19 isolation.

TEAM NEWS

Owls: After defeat against QPR on Saturday, assistant manager Jamie Smith reported no fresh injury concerns immediately after the clash in the capital.

Joost van Aken and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru are edging closer to a first team return and both players were involved from the start in our Under-23s’ trip to Charlton on Monday.

Chey Dunkley (hamstring) remains sidelined but could play a part towards the end of the month.

Moses Odubajo (hamstring), Massimo Luongo (knee), Dominic Iorfa (Achilles) and Cameron Dawson (knee) are not expected to feature again this season.

Swansea: Goalkeeper Steven Benda (ankle) and striker Liam Cullen (ankle) are both close to returning to action following a significant period on the treatment table.

The pair have been sidelined since January.

FORM GUIDE

Owls: DWLWL
Swansea: LLLLW

LAST FIVE v Swansea

Swansea 1-1 Owls – 25 November 2020 – Championship
Swansea 2-1 Owls – 5 July 2020 – Championship
Owls 2-2 Swansea – 9 November 2019 – Championship
Owls 3-1 Swansea – 23 February 2019 – Championship
Swansea 2-1 Owls – 15 December 2018 – Championship

Match Reports

Report: Wednesday 0-2 Swansea

13 April 2021

Goals either side of half time from Jamal Lowe and Jay Fulton gave promotion-chasing Swansea victory at Hillsborough while pushing Wednesday closer to the Championship trapdoor.

Despite producing decent pockets of play, particularly in the opening 45, the Owls were undone where it mattered the most.

And the defeat leaves Wednesday with a mountain to climb if relegation is to be avoided from their remaining five games as the visitors flexed their top-six muscle.

Andre Ayew, a menace throughout, sent an early sighter into the side netting but overall it was the Owls that settled the sooner.

Josh Windass fired a low cross into the mix that caused problems for keeper Freddie Woodman but the ball just wouldn’t land in Wednesday’s favour.

Jordan Rhodes planted a header over the crossbar and Joey Pelupessy tried his luck from distance before a brief passage of play defined the first half.

Right on the half-hour mark Barry Bannan pinched possession in the middle of the park and advanced to find Adam Reach, who in turn fed Liam Shaw and the midfielder’s shot was true but spectacularly saved by Woodman.

And fortune stayed Swansea’s way just four minutes later as they took the lead against the run of play. Tom Lees had his pocket picked on the angle of the penalty area by Ayew who squared for Lowe to slam into the roof of the net.

Wednesday started the second period with intent and only a last-ditch Ryan Bennett challenge prevented Windass levelling matters.

Windass then turned provider, flashing an inviting feed across goal that Shaw was a whisker away from converting at the back post.

But Swansea grew back into the game and, with a strong foundation at the back, began to impose themselves on the offensive.

On 65 minutes it was almost 2-0 when Ayew found the goal gaping inside the six-yard box but Keiren Westwood sprung from his line to deal with the danger.

But the visitors were not to be denied and did double their lead on 74 minutes. Substitute Connor Roberts delivered a delicious cross to the back stick, where Fulton was on hand to head home and seal the win.
Wednesday: Westwood, Palmer, Hutchinson, Lees, Börner (Green 77), Reach, Pelupessy, Bannan, Shaw (Brown 65), Windass, Rhodes (Paterson 65)