Swansea 2-1 West Brom: Fernando Llorente nets late to snatch Swans victory

By Charlotte Marsh

Sunday 21 May 2017 17:36, UK

Fernando Llorente scored late on to secure a comeback victory for Swansea as they beat West Brom 2-1 on the final day of the Premier League season.

The Swans went into the Liberty Stadium contest assured of survival and on a run of four games unbeaten, but fell behind in the 33rd minute as Jonny Evans nodded the Baggies in front.

But Jordan Ayew netted his first Swansea goal since his January move to level things up in the 72nd minute before top scorer Llorente hit home with five minutes of normal time remaining to seal the three points.

Paul Clement's men have ended the season in 15th place with 41 points while West Brom sneaked a top 10 finish on goal difference despite failing to win any of their final nine Premier League games.

The sides mostly traded possession in the opening stages of the game. Salomon Rondon had the first chance in the 11th minute but could only direct his header into the hands of Kristoffer Nordfeldt before Leroy Fer fired over the crossbar at the near post a few minutes later.

Rondon was again testing the goalkeeper after 20 minutes as Darren Fletcher slid a lovely ball into the Venezuelan's feet to put him through one-on-one with Nordfeldt, but the Swansea stopper saved again.

The home side could twice have taken the lead as the game reached the half hour, with Fer toe-poking an effort wide before Federico Fernandez nodded a Kyle Naughton cross past the post.

But West Brom found the breakthrough in the 33rd minute with their 16th goal from a corner this season - the highest in the Premier League - as Fletcher's whipped delivery found the unmarked Evans at the back post to nod home.

Swansea could twice have equalsied at the start of the second half. Gylfi Sigurdsson delivered a free kick in the 52nd minute that met the head of Llorente but the West Brom defence managed to clear in a packed box before Fernandez headed wide.

Llorente then saw an effort saved by Ben Foster before Alfie Mawson headed the resulting corner wide.

But the home side got their equaliser in the 72nd minute and it was a first in a Swansea shirt for Ayew. It was another fine free-kick delivery from Sigurdsson to find Llorente at the back post. He in turn nodded back across for the Ghana international in the middle who headed past Foster into the bottom corner.

Llorente rounded off Swansea's comeback with 13 minutes remaining as he scored his 15th goal of the Premier League campaign. Ayew fed Luciano Narsingh down the right-hand side of the box and his floated cross was volleyed home by the Spaniard.

Evans could have spoiled the survival party in the final minute of injury time as he tried his luck at the near post, but Nordfeldt denied him as Swansea saw out the game and ended the season five games unbeaten.

Player ratings

Swansea: Nordfeldt (7), Naughton (7), Fernandez (7), Mawson (7), Olsson (7), Fer (7), Britton (7), Carroll (7), Sigurdsson (8), Ayew (8), Llorente (8).

Subs used: Kingsley (n/a), Ki (5), Narsingh (7).