Sheffield Wednesday etched an unfortunate chapter in their history as Zan Vipotnik’s two goals propelled Swansea City to a commanding 4-0 victory over the Championship’s last-placed team.
Wednesday’s inability to score in this match extended their streak to nine consecutive league games without a goal, marking a historic low for the club.
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This defeat also marked the Owls’ eighth straight loss in the second tier, edging them closer to relegation as their challenging season continues.
On the other hand, Swansea is gaining momentum as their form improves under Vitor Matos.
Goncalo Franco set the Swans on the path to a sixth win in seven home matches, completing a dazzling team move by steering Josh Tymon’s cross into the net from close range.
Henrik Pedersen’s team struggled to mount any serious challenge, as hopes of a comeback fizzled out when Vipotnik struck a free-kick powerfully into the net from just outside the area.
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The Championship’s leading scorer, Vipotnik, quickly added his second goal of the afternoon and his 15th of the season, skillfully controlling Ronald’s cross before rolling the ball into the bottom corner.
Wednesday’s misery deepened late in the game when substitute Malick Yalcouye slotted in his first goal since joining Swansea on loan from Brighton last August after showcasing some fancy footwork in the box.
Goncalo Franco (center) celebrates his goal with Brazilian teammates Ronald (left) and Gustavo Nunes (right) [Getty Images]
Swansea’s most significant win of the season lifts them to 15th place, now 10 points clear of the relegation zone and only five points behind the top six.
Wednesday, meanwhile, remains a staggering 39 points from safety with just 15 league matches left.
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Analysis: Matos-inspired Swans further burden Owls
Having now gone over 14 hours of league football without a goal, Wednesday’s last strike was from the now-departed Bailey Cadamarteri in a draw against Hull City on December 26.
They appeared unlikely to break this record in South Wales, particularly after Franco’s opening goal.
Liam Cullen narrowly missed doubling Swansea’s lead when his lobbed effort struck the crossbar just before the break. Despite this reprieve, the visitors failed to respond in the second half.
Vipotnik had threatened to score on a couple of occasions before his emphatic free-kick sealed the result, with Swansea’s late surge condemning Wednesday to their second heaviest loss of a dismal season.
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Swansea, who once faced their own relegation fears, now look much more secure following an impressive turnaround under Matos, with eight wins in their last 13 league matches.
Malick Yalcouye’s goal marked his first in English football [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
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Swansea head coach Vitor Matos:
“Today, we demonstrated the right mentality. We aimed to set the tone regarding intensity and dominance. I believe we succeeded. The opening goal calmed us down and allowed for better control of the game. The second goal from a free-kick capped off a good performance – a clean sheet, goals, and I’m really pleased.”
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen:
“Over the last two days, our training sessions have been quite productive. We switched to a back four to push one player higher up to win balls and contribute to our offensive play. We exhibited positive energy during the first 19 minutes with good pressing and sequences on the ball. But after they scored, Swansea became more confident and started to dominate possession. We struggled to keep our compactness, and pressing them was challenging. The second half saw us start strongly but we continuously lost the ball when we won it back. We didn’t create the chances we needed.”