Wahala full Swansea.com Stadium today as Swansea City and Middlesbrough dey fight tire for Championship match wey end 2-2. Na penalty palava scatter everywhere, three different players collect chance to score from spot. The match hot like pepper, from beginning to end.
Boro start strong, dem dey push Swansea from early minutes. Alex Bangura just dey wait for loose ball, then bam! Him lash one rising strike pass Lawrence Vigouroux for Swansea goal. Na early lead for the visitors wey dey chase promotion. But the celebration no last long.
Swansea begin wake up small small. Dem dey press Boro area, and then wahala come. Bangura wey just score, him go commit foul inside box. Him rashly lunge at Liam Cullen, the Wales international just fall down. Referee no waste time, him point to penalty spot immediately.
Zan Vipotnik, the Slovenian striker wey don become penalty specialist for Swansea, step up. Calm calm, him send goalkeeper Sol Brynn go wrong direction. Goal! 1-1. The stadium just erupt. But this na just beginning of penalty drama.
First half dey almost finish when another penalty come. Goncalo Franco send one long pass wey put Jisung Eom through on goal. Brynn come out from goal, flail arm at the Korean player. Eom fall down. Referee blow whistle again. Penalty number two for Swansea.
Vipotnik step up again. Same style, same result. Him send Brynn the wrong way again. Na him 20th league goal this season. Swansea go lead 2-1 by half time. The home fans dey celebrate like say dem don win trophy.
Second half come, Middlesbrough dey press for equalizer. Dem dey control more of the ball, but Swansea defence dey stand strong. Ben Cabango and Cameron Burgess dey block shots like say dem na wall. Lawrence Vigouroux for Swansea goal even make one magnificent save from Aidan Morris strike.
But penalty palava no finish. Around 75th minute, Eom wey get first penalty for Swansea, him go commit foul inside Boro box. Him challenge Callum Brittain, referee Matthew Donohue see am as foul. Penalty number three for the day.
Tommy Conway for Boro step up. Pressure full him shoulder, but him no shake. Him rattle the ball into net. Goal! 2-2. The away fans wey travel from Middlesbrough just dey shout. Conway equalizer give Boro precious point.
The last 15 minutes na serious pressure from Boro. Dem dey push for winner wey go put dem back for automatic promotion places. Substitutes Sontje Hansen and Kaly Sene even get chances. For Swansea side, Cullen almost score winner but Brynn save am.
Match end 2-2. Both teams share points. For Boro, this draw mean dem remain third for table, still dey chase promotion but dem no win for five matches now. Swansea climb to 15th position, but dem no win for four matches.
Kim Hellberg, Boro coach wey nearly become Swansea coach last year, him dey look frustrated after match. His team create chances but penalty decisions affect game. Swansea coach Matos dey happy with point but know say defence need work.
The stadium empty slowly, fans dey yarn about the three penalties. Some dey argue about referee decisions, others dey praise Vipotnik penalty skills. Na typical Championship drama – unpredictable, entertaining, and full of tension.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
