Swansea City vs Sheffield United. Sky Bet Championship.
Swansea.com StadiumAttendance15,458.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Swansea and Sheffield United at the Swansea.com Stadium as Reda Khadra netted in stoppage-time to earn victory for the Blades.
Tuesday 13 September 2022 23:01, UK
Sheffield United extended their lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a last-gasp 1-0 win at Swansea.
Substitute Reda Khadra scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time, his first goal for the Blades, after being set up by former Swansea loanee Rhian Brewster.
Swansea were clearly unhappy that the goal was allowed to stand, believing Brewster had knocked Kyle Naughton to the ground in the build-up to the goal.
Manager Russell Martin, having seen Swansea concede in the 90th minute or beyond for the fifth time this season, marched on to the pitch at the final whistle and appeared to have words with the officials.
The Blades are now four points clear of Norwich, who have a game in hand, after protecting an unbeaten run which stretches back to the season's opening weekend.
Both sides played their part in an entertaining match, but the lack of a clinical edge was often far too evident.
Republic of Ireland striker Michael Obafemi was again missing from the Swansea squad after a deadline-day move to Burnley had failed to materialise.
Sheffield United started with confidence befitting league leaders and should have been ahead inside two minutes.
Sander Berge's cross found Rhys Norrington-Davies unmarked at the far post but the Wales international sent his header straight at Steven Benda in the home goal.
The Blades cut through Swansea at times and Oli McBurnie almost marked his return to his old stamping ground by breaking the deadlock.
McBurnie met George Baldock's cross from the right with conviction but was unable to keep the ball down.
Swansea also carried a goal threat with Joel Piroe prominent.
Piroe was on the end of a delicious passing move involving Matt Grimes, Oli Cooper and Jay Fulton, showing quick feet to find space but unable to beat Wes Foderingham with a tame finish.
The Dutchman soon caught Blades defenders dozing by racing onto Matty Sorinola's quick throw and cutting the ball back from the byline.
Ryan Manning seemed certain to open the scoring but the Irishman was denied by a brilliant Baldock block, the wing-back celebrating as if he had scored.
Swansea went close again when Ben Cabango saw his header from a Joe Allen corner cleared off the line by Oliver Norwood.
The tempo remained high after the break, yet still gilt-edged chances went begging with goalkeepers untroubled.
Piroe failed to find the target after skilfully evading his marker from Cabango's pass, and the unmarked Berge headed over from eight yards at the other end.
Foderingham's error then gave Cooper a clear sight of goal, but the young midfielder chose to square the ball to Piroe rather than shoot and the chance was lost.
Brewster directed a header wide before providing the telling pass for Khadra, the on-loan German striker securing the Blades' first win in Swansea for 64 years.
Swansea's Russell Martin: "I trust Kyle. He's clipped his heels. The boy's not meant to, but Kyle has run across him. It is a foul. It's the easiest decision the referee has got to make all night. It's the 94th minute, the guy's running back towards his own goal, he clips his heels, just give the free-kick. It's really not difficult.
"But he hasn't given it. We should still deal with the aftermath of it. We don't and everyone feels completely different about the performance than they did 30 seconds previously."
Sheffield United's Paul Heckingbottom: "You've got to make the most of them when you win a game like that, we're going to enjoy it. I'm pleased for Reda and Rhian, they've done all the work and know their roles when they are coming on for Oli and Iliman. Sometimes it (substitutions) works out great for you.
"It worked out great with Rhian against the middle centre-back Kyle (Naughton), and Reda breaking off the deepest midfielder because you're not going to catch him. Rhian played a few games early on in the season. Reda has played one and had an impact in others, he's catching up and adjusting to how we want to play. At the minute our options are limited from the bench. We've got a young bench, but we'll keep pushing and waiting for that cavalry to arrive. We've got to have that consistency because, the moment we don't, we'll get beat."
