Swansea went top by finding a second way to win
Swansea City went top of the Championship by solving a match that did not look like the usual route to three points. Lincoln had 58 per cent possession and 13 shots to Swansea's 10. Both sides put four on target. Swansea trailed at half-time, then scored twice in the first six minutes after the restart and protected the lead.
Lincoln 1-2 Swansea
- Possession
- Lincoln 58% - 42% Swansea
- Shots
- Lincoln 13 - 10 Swansea
- Shots on target
- Lincoln 4 - 4 Swansea
- Star man
- Stephen Eustaquio, 7.96
The response after half-time
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild's 39th-minute penalty sent Lincoln in ahead. Moussa Yeo levelled in the 47th minute from Melker Widell's delivery, before Stephen Eustaquio scored four minutes later. API-Football rated Eustaquio 7.96, the highest mark in the stored match data, on the day he scored his first Swansea goal.
Eustaquio said Lincoln's long throws, direct balls and pursuit of second balls made the opening half difficult. Swansea's official site quotes him saying the visitors began to play in Lincoln's half after the interval, won more duels and then showed the togetherness needed to see the game out.
Why the manner matters
The numbers do not describe territorial control by Swansea. The figures describe a team that adapted. The decisive spell came immediately after half-time, and the final 39 minutes required Swansea to defend a one-goal advantage against the side with more possession and more attempts. That is a different test from dominating the ball, and one Eustaquio believes the squad passed together.