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Rafael Cabral hits the ball ahead of Connor Roberts
Swansea City was forced to settle for a point as they failed to bring down the contenders for promotion to the Reading championship.
Steve Cooper’s team played beautiful football to match the gleaming new playing surface at Liberty Stadium, but couldn’t conjure up enough quality in the final third to claim victory.
Reading goalkeeper Rafael Cabral made a succession of saves to keep Swansea at bay, and Andre Ayew came closer to finding a breakthrough.
Veljko Paunovic’s men were happy with the draw, which means they remain sixth in the table.
Swansea, who fell to third place after Brentford’s win over Bournemouth, will be frustrated at having missed a chance to close the gap with leading Norwich City just two points behind.
The Swans have the best defensive record in the EFL – this was their thirteenth clean sheet in 22 league games this season – but they couldn’t find the decisive goal their performance deserved.
Before kick-off, as is customary in matches across the country, both teams knelt in support of Black Lives Matter.
What was unfamiliar to him was the boos and horns that could be heard outside the stadium at the moment the gesture was made.
Once the football got underway, the hosts were the first to take the plunge.
Swansea had taken the unusual step of replacing their field mid-season, and Cooper admitted that something had to be done to maintain the integrity of the league.
The old surface, which was damaged by disease and a particularly wet October, cracked after the victory over Barnsley on December 19, leaving little time for his replacement to lie down.
But there were no signs of early trouble as Ayew had Swansea’s first effort, an acrobatic volley that flashed over the bar.
Ayew’s 25-yard drive flew straight into Cabral before a sweet move from Swansea and then saw Connor Roberts cross for the Ghana captain, whose header was nailed to safety.
The half chance came Jake Bidwell nodded with a Matt Grimes corner header to fellow defender Marc Guehi, who sent a wasted half volley over the bar at point blank range.
Ryan Bennett wins this header ahead of Sam Baldock, but the Swansea defender then came out clutching his hamstring.
Reading was on the defensive for most of the first period, but threatened on a couple of set pieces, Tom McIntrye’s volley forcing a strong save from Freddie Woodman before the Swansea goalkeeper picked up the push from Sam Baldock. .
Swansea soon threatened again after the break, with backup Joel Latibeaudiere and Bidwell’s headers drawing further saves from Cabral.
Ayew looked ready to find a winner 19 minutes from time when he soared high to find a Roberts cross, but his header on the door was magnificently saved by the Brazilian goalkeeper from Reading.
It was Woodman who made the last stop of the night, pushing off McIntrye’s header to deny the visitors a landslide victory.
- Lineups Match Statistics Live Text
Lineups
- 1 Lumberjack 44 Cabango 2 BennettReserved at 45 minutesReplaced byLatibeaudiereat 53’minutes5Guehi23Roberts6Fulton8Grimes24Bidwell7SmithReplaced byPalme in 74’minutes10A Ayew9LoweReplaced byGyökeresat 87’minutes
Substitutes
- 3Manning13Benda14Gyökeres15Routledge21Dhanda22Latibeaudiere31Cooper41Garrick45Palmer
Reading
- 33Cabral Barbosa2Pontes Esteves29Holmes4Morrison5McIntyre8Rinomhota28Laurent7Olise30SemedoReplaced byAlukoat 58’minutes14EjariaReplaced byRichardsat 73’minutes9BaldockReplaced by Swiftat 67’minutes
Substitutes
- 3 Richards10Swift22Southwood24Aluko37Melvin-Lambert43Watson44East48Dorsett
Referee: David WebbMatch StatsHome TeamSwanseaAway TeamReadingPossessionHome58% Away42% ShotsHome11Away8 Shots on targetHome6Away3CornersHome7Away2FoulsHome12Away14Live TextPost update
Match ends, Swansea City 0, Reading 0.
90 ‘+ 5’ Full time
Second Half ends, Swansea City 0, Reading 0.
90 ‘+ 4’Post update
André Ayew (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90 ‘+ 4’Post update
Foul by Josh Laurent (Reading).
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Foul by Kasey Palmer (Swansea City).
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Tom McIntyre (Reading) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
Foul by Marc Guehi (Swansea City).
90 ‘+ 2’Post update
John Swift (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90’Post update
Viktor Gyökeres (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90’Post update
Foul by Josh Laurent (Reading).
88’Post update
Viktor Gyökeres (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88’Post update
Foul by Andy Rinomhota (Reading).
87 ‘Substitution
Change in Swansea City. Viktor Gyökeres replaces Jamal Lowe.
86’Post update
André Ayew (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86’Post update
Foul by Thomas Holmes (Reading).
85 ‘Post update
Foul by Kasey Palmer (Swansea City).
85 ‘Post update
Andy Rinomhota (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing.
85 ‘Post update
Failed attempt. Attempt missed. Michael Morrison (Reading) header from the center of the box misses to the right side of the goal. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross after a corner kick.
84’Post update
Corner, reading. Corner committed by Freddie Woodman.
84’Post update
Shot stopped brushing the left square. Tom McIntyre (Reading) header from the center of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross.
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