Odion Ighalo scored the only goal of
the game against Swansea on Saturday to earn 10-man Watford their first win at
the fifth attempt since promotion to the English top flight.
The Nigeria international celebrated
signing a new five-year contract on Friday when sweeping home in the 59th
minute after keeper Heurelho Gomes’ long punt up field with Troy Deeney’s
headed knockdown setting up unmarked Ighalo to finish the move in style.
Seconds earlier the 26-year-old
Odion Ighala who joined the Hornets from Udinese in 2014 had gone close only to
shoot wide from six yards.
The precious 1-0 victory over the
previously unbeaten Swansea lifted Watford from 17th to 12th, above the likes
of champions Chelsea, fellow newcomers Bournemouth and Tottenham.
Watford’s afternoon wasn’t all plain
sailing as they had to play the closing 25 minutes a man down after Swiss
midfielder Valon Behrami’s reckless studs-up challenge on Andre Ayew above the
knee earning him a straight red card.
Victor Ibarbo, who arrived on a
season-long loan from Roma on deadline day, received international clearance
and was named on the Watford bench by Quique Sanchez Flores.
Swansea manager Garry Monk fielded
his strongest side with Jonjo Shelvey, fresh from his England call-up,
marshalling the midfield, and Wayne Routledge preferred to Jefferson Montero.
In-form Swansea’s best chance of the
game came when Bafetimbi Gomis, who had scored in each of their opening four
games, had a shot denied by Gomes before the half-hour point.
Gomis had gone close with an
acrobatic volley in first-half injury time.
In a lively encounter Watford’s
Etienne Capoue forced Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski into action on a number
of occasions, including in the 80th minute with a dangerous angled attempt.
Swansea’s first defeat of the campaign saw Monk’s side slip two places to sixth.
Swansea’s first defeat of the campaign saw Monk’s side slip two places to sixth.
No comments:
Post a Comment