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Post by Football News on Feb 6, 2016 17:35:02 GMT
Swansea 1 - 1 C PalaceCrystal Palace punish Swansea profligacy as Scott Dann grabs point Home team scorers Gylfi Sigurdsson 13 Away team scorers Scott Dann 47 Swansea City stretched their unbeaten run to four matches but that was small consolation on an afternoon when Francesco Guidolin’s team paid a high price for their first-half profligacy and their inability to defend set pieces. Twice in the space of four days Swansea have taken the lead courtesy of Gylfi Sigurdsson only to concede from corners on both occasions and it was little surprise that Scott Dann was the man to punish the Welsh club here. Dann has now scored five times this season and Alan Pardew must be wishing he could call on a centre-forward who looks as threatening in the opposition area. Emmanuel Adebayor is Crystal Palace’s new hope and made his first start for the club but the striker’s contribution was memorable for little other than giving away the free-kick that Sigurdsson beautifully converted in the 14th minute. It was the Icelander’s fifth goal in six matches and there was nearly another to add to his collection in the second half, only this time Wayne Hennessey was able to turn his free-kick around the post. Swansea continued to push desperately for a winner and Ashley Williams came close, but Palace showed some resilience to hold on and end a run of five straight league defeats. After starting so brightly the only frustration for Swansea at half-time was that they had failed to add to Sigurdsson’s trademark goal. They looked the much more accomplished team in the opening 45 minutes and spurned several chances to add the second goal that well may have put the game beyond Palace. Alberto Paloschi was working tirelessly up front and the Italian endeared himself into the home supporters on his full debut when he chased back into his own half to dispossess Miles Jedinak. Swansea fans have seen plenty of lovely football over the last few years but a bit of endeavour always goes down well in these parts. Sigurdsson is more brains than brawn and it was a superb 22-yard free-kick from the midfielder that opened the scoring after Adebayor, looking like a striker trying to defend, was penalised for a clumsy foul. Hennessey knew where the free-kick was going but it was so perfectly placed, curling just inside the far upright, that the Palace goalkeeper was powerless to do anything about it. Only a desperate block by Damien Delaney prevented André Ayew from making it 2-0 and the Ghanaian came close again later in the half, when he stretched every sinew to touch home Sigurdsson’s in-swinging corner but arrived at the far post just too late. Palace looked ragged at that stage and there was another reprieve for the visitors when Wayne Routledge, set up by Jack Cork’s cutback, curled inches wide from 12 yards. Dann’s glancing header from Joel Ward’s free-kick was the closest Palace came to scoring before the break but the visitors looked a different team at the start of the second half. Jordon Mutch was only denied by Williams’s clearance and from the corner that followed Delaney flicked on at the near post and Dann, showing more desire than Federico Fernández to get to the ball first, swept home from six yards. “He’s a goal machine,” chanted the Palace fans. Williams had a similar chance for Swansea from a near identical set-piece routine but the Wales captain was unable to convert from four yards. The game was much more open now as Modou Barrow cut inside and drilled a 20-yard shot narrowly over and Hiram Boateng came close to marking his Premier League debut with a goal for Palace at the other end. Williams saw another effort blocked in injury time. Guardian
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