WEST HAM BEAT SWANSEA IN CHAMPIONSHIP TOP-TWO MEETING

West Ham United beat Swansea City 1-0 at the Swansea.com Stadium after Divine Mukasa scored in the 34th minute. The result ended Swansea’s four-game winning run and gave them their second league defeat of the season. Swansea stayed top of the Championship, one point ahead of West Ham, who moved into second place. Middlesbrough’s draw with Cardiff City meant Swansea would have retained first place whatever the result. West Ham became the first visiting side to win a league match at Swansea since Southampton in April.

Pablo dispossessed Marko Stamenic and passed to Mohamadou Kante, whose low ball Mukasa turned in. Ben Cabango hit the underside of the crossbar before the interval, and Mads Hermansen gathered the loose ball. Cabango later dragged another chance wide, while Adam Idah shot narrowly wide after Stephen Eustaquio set him up. Swansea goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux saved twice from Jarrod Bowen and once from Pablo after half-time. Vitor Matos made four changes from Swansea’s midweek win over Millwall, with Ronald starting on the right while Filip Lissah served a suspension.

Matos, Swansea’s head coach, said his players felt they could have taken something from the match. “We need to keep pushing ourselves to beat the best teams of the league,” he said. Matos said the frustration should drive the squad to improve in training. Before the match, league figures put Swansea’s defence first in the Championship and West Ham’s attack first for goals scored.