Swans on song against the Bantams
Written By: Robert Halter
Under a new sponsor, the 2013 Capital One Cup Final on February 24, saw Swansea City bidding for their first major trophy in the club’s one hundred year history against a team from the fourth tier of English football, as Bradford City contested the showpiece event at Wembley Stadium. On thirteen minutes, Angel Rangel’s cross was headed narrowly wide by Ben Davies as the Swans pressed for the first time. But three minutes later, Swansea struck the first blow when Michu’s low drive could only be pushed out by Matt Duke into the path of Nathan Dyer, who tucked the ball away from close range. On thirty minutes, Leon Britton fired over from long range, after Ki Sung-Yeung headed back a corner from Jonathan De Guzman. The Swans dominance got their rewards in the fortieth minute when Davies touched the ball to Pablo Hernandez, whose pass through to Michu, was despatched efficiently as his low drive landed in the bottom right corner. Three minutes later, Duke was forced to push over the bar a well struck effort by Wayne Routledge as Swansea continued to take control of the game. The final was put out of reach for Bradford, two minutes into the second half, when Routledge opened the door for Dyer, whose curling strike nestled into the left side of the net. The Bantams misery was compounded when Duke was sent off as his trailing leg pulled down De Guzman in the area and substitute goalkeeper, Jon McLaughlin was helpless in preventing De Guzman driving the spot kick into the bottom left corner in the fifty ninth minute. On the hour mark, Michu’s low strike went narrowly wide of the left post, after Dyer’s flick on, as the one way traffic continued. It took until eighty seven minutes for Bradford’s first shot on target as club captain Gary Jones had a half hit shot which was comfortably picked up by Gerhard Tremmel. But the Swans had the final say in stoppage time as first McLaughlin saved from Michu and then Dwight Tiendalli cracked an effort against the right hand post. But the rout was completed at the end when from Rangel’s low cross, De Guzman rolled the ball into the goal for Swansea City’s 5-0 demolition of Bradford City.