By Our Reporter at the Swansea.com Stadium
THE BRAGGING rights belong to South Wales after a frantic Friday night at the Swansea.com Stadium saw the Swans snatch a 2-1 victory from the jaws of a Wrexham stalemate.
In a stadium packed with over 20,000 screaming fans—and a few A-list names in the shadows—the first league meeting between these two rivals in 22 years lived up to every bit of the pre-match hype.
While Snoop Dogg watched from an LED dome in LA and Martha Stewart graced the hospitality suites, it was a substitute from Cork, Adam Idah, who stole the show under the floodlights.
The atmosphere at the Landore venue was electric long before kick-off.
Wrexham’s Hollywood-fueled rise brought a “global” feel to the Championship clash, but the home crowd made sure the visitors knew exactly where they were.
However, the home fans were silenced after just 14 minutes.
In a cruel twist of fate, Swansea defender Cameron Burgess—who has had a nightmare run of luck lately—headed a Ryan Longman cross into his own net. It was his third own goal of the season, and for nearly an hour, it looked like the only goal that would define the night.
Swansea turned their home turf into a siege engine in the second half.
The stats told the story: the Swans peppered the Wrexham goal with 22 efforts, dominating possession as the visitors sat deep, desperate to protect their slender lead.
The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute. Zan Vipotnik found space on the edge of the area and let fly; his shot took a wicked deflection off Dominic Hyam, leaving Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo stranded as the ball trickled into the net.
GOALKEEPER HOWLER
Just as the game seemed destined for a draw, the Swansea.com Stadium erupted in the 91st minute. Okonkwo, who had been a rock for most of the night, committed an absolute “howler,” failing to claim a looping header from Ben Cabango.
The ball spilled loose, and Adam Idah, who had been on the pitch for less than five minutes, was there to poke it home from point-blank range.
The roar that followed could be heard from Mumbles to the Valleys.
Wrexham’s winless run stretches to five, while Swansea moves within touching distance of their North Wales rivals in the table.
