Carvahal's return to Hillsborough ends in stalemate
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 17/02/2018 at 15:32 GMT
FA Cup fifth round, Hillsborough – Sheffield Wednesday 0 Swansea 0
Carlos Carvalhal, Manager of Swansea City looks on during The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Swansea City and Notts County at the Liberty Stadium on February 6, 2018 in Swansea.
Image credit: Eurosport
Carlos Carvahal’s return to Hillsborough ended in stalemate as his Swansea side were held to a goalless draw by Sheffield Wednesday in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
The Portuguese was appointed manager at Swansea on Christmas Eve after leaving Wednesday by mutual consent only three days previously, but his return to Yorkshire proved to be a damp squib.
Swansea were fortunate not to be trailing inside three minutes when Adam Reach spurned a chance from just a few yards out and only Kristoffer Nordfeldt to beat.
The Premier League outfit improved as the first half progressed and would have been ahead only for Wednesday goalkeeper Cameron Dawson who produced a stunning one-handed save to deny Mike Van der Hoorn’s header from point-blank range.
Neither side were able to generate much excitement after the break, but Wednesday created the best opportunity when Adthe Nuhiu created space for a shot inside the box but he failed to generate the power needed to beat Nordfeldt.
The draw means the sides will have to do it all again when they meet at the Liberty Stadium in a replay at the end of February.
TALKING POINT - Carvalhal receives deserved reception at Hillsborough
The 52-year-old led Sheffield Wednesday to successive play-off defeats during a successful three-year spell but losing in the derby ultimately cost him his job. He hasn’t looked back since he was named as Swansea boss, winning six games out of 11 and dragging the strugglers out of the drop zone.
So it was no surprise that the Portuguese received a decent reception from the Hillsborough faithful at full time. It wasn’t a strong performance from his side - they struggled for large periods in the first half, but over the course of 90 minutes they were the better team.
A replay is the last thing Swansea need as they eye Premier League survival, but they must be firm favourites to now progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in over 50 years.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday)
It was a match for defenders and Wednesday’s centre-half led by example to keep Premier League opposition at bay. The Czech won a number of crucial headers as Swansea continued to find space in wide areas to deliver crosses.
PLAYER RATINGS
Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson 7, Hunt 6, Venancio 7, Jones 7, Pudil 8, Fox 6, Boyd 6, Butterfield 7, Reach 7, Wallace 6, Nuhiu 7.Subs: Pelupessy 5, Joao N/A.
Swansea: Nordfeldt 7, Bartley 8, Naughton 7, Van der Hoorn 7, Roberts 7, Olsson 6, Carroll 6, Ki 6, Narsingh 7, Routledge 7, Abraham 7. Subs: Clucas 5, Dyer 6, Ayew 6.
KEY MOMENTS
3’ - GREAT CHANCE! Butterfield releases Reach who dashes forward from the right in space. He closes in on the goalkeeper, takes a look up and tries to fire the ball across the body of Nordfeldt but he does brilliantly to push it wide for a corner. Good early opportunity for Wednesday.
37’ - CLOSE! Naughton's inch-perfect cross finds Van der Hoorn who heads it powerfully at goal, forcing Dawson into a terrific one-handed stop to push it over the bar. It’s the closest Swansea have come in the first half.
76’ - SAVE! Lovely feet from Nuhiu as he dances Van der Hoorn inside the Swansea box, he cuts onto his stronger foot but fails to generate the power in the shot needed to fire past Nordfeldt. It's Wednesday's best chance of the second period.
KEY STATS
- The Owls won the only previous FA Cup encounter between these sides, 1-0 at home in a third-round tie in January 1962.
- Swansea have only won one of their past 10 meetings with Sheffield Wednesday in all competitions (D5 L4).
- Wednesday haven't reached the FA Cup quarter-finals since the 1996-97 campaign, losing their four fifth-round ties since then.
- Sheffield Wednesday haven't beaten top-flight opposition in the FA Cup since their 1993 semi-final win over Sheffield United, drawing five and losing 12 since.
- Swansea have lost just one of their 12 matches in all competitions since Carlos Carvalhal took charge, winning six and drawing five. The Swans had won just five of their previous 23 games before Carvalhal's appointment this season.
Scan me
Share this article