Swansea City 2-2 Millwall: Two own goals see Lions fight back for last-gasp draw

Ryan Manning fires homeImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Ryan Manning scored his first goal since January inside the first minute of the game

Two stoppage-time own goals saw Millwall claim a remarkable 2-2 draw at Swansea City.

Swansea looked to have secured a first home win of the season thanks to first-half goals from Ryan Manning and Michael Obafemi.

But the Lions refused to lie down and had hope when Harry Darling put through his own net in the 93rd minute.

The leveller came from almost the last kick of the game as a deep cross ended in another own goal from Nathan Wood.

That meant despair for Swansea, who had seemed certain to secure back-to-back Championship victories for the first time since April and a first home victory of the campaign.

But there was joy for Millwall as they claimed a first point on the road in 2022-23.

Gary Rowett's side stay fourth in the early-season Championship table, while Swansea climb a place to 12th but will be struggling to explain how they ended with one point rather than three.

Both these sides had enjoyed rousing finishes last weekend, with Swansea scoring late at Blackpool to secure a first win of 2022-23 and Millwall clinching a thrilling comeback victory against Coventry City.

After a minute's applause in memory of former Swansea midfielder Lenny Johnrose, a hero of the club's escape from the threat of relegation to non-league football 19 years ago, it was the hosts who picked up where they left off at the weekend.

Swansea poured forward from the outset and scored a first home goal of the season from their opening attack of the night, as Scott Malone's attempted clearance was flicked on by Olivier Ntcham to Manning.

In space at the far post, Swansea's left-wingback unleashed a crisp half-volley which ricocheted into the net off the opposite post after a touch from the diving Bartosz Bialkowski.

In a frantic opening, Swansea ought to have doubled their lead when Ntcham's drive was parried and Joel Latibeaudiere - who would soon be carried off with a shoulder injury - lifted the rebound over from point-blank range.

Millwall then came close to levelling, as Jamie Shackleton's sweet strike beat home goalkeeper Andy Fisher but cannoned back off the bar.

Shackleton had Millwall's other first-half effort of note, this time pulling a shot wide, as Swansea pressed home their advantage courtesy of a fine first goal of the season from Obafemi.

Ryan Manning fires homeImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Ryan Manning scored his first goal since January inside the first minute of the game

Fed by Kyle Naughton, the striker turned Jake Cooper inside out before rattling the ball home from the edge of the area.

Millwall needed a significant improvement after the break, and Billy Mitchell's deflected effort forced a first save of the night from Fisher.

Swansea threatened to end the contest as Joe Allen - who was outstanding on his second home debut having rejoined the Welsh club in the summer - and then Ntcham were denied by Bialkowski.

Millwall's players rose almost in unison to appeal for handball as Manning blocked George Honeyman's shot, but referee Gavin Ward said no penalty and booked Malone for dissent.

There was another less convincing appeal for handball against Ben Cabango, before debutant Andreas Voglsammer lobbed the advancing Fisher from the corner of the area but saw his effort bounce to safety off the bar.

With that Swansea must have felt they were home and dry, but Millwall somehow conjured their second rousing finish in three days.

First Danny McManamara flashed in a cross which bounced into the net off Darling, with Obafemi quickly missing out on the chance to score a third for Swansea as he broke away only to be denied by a superb Ryan Leonard tackle.

As tension reigned for the home side, another deep cross - this time in the 95th minute - was inadvertently headed beyond Fisher by Wood as Millwall's Tyler Burey lurked at the far post.

Swansea head coach Russell Martin:

"For 93 minutes we were by far and away the best team. Dominant, aggressive - everything we got criticised for against Blackburn, and rightly so in a lot of senses, I think the boys put right tonight.

"I have to take responsibility for it, I'm in charge of the mentality of the team. The ball goes out for a throw-in, and one of our players [who is] not involved punches the ball back on the pitch. I'm absolutely furious about it. I've told him. That just can't happen. He punched the ball back to them to take a throw-in quickly and we concede a goal.

"Whether you're on the bench or whether you're not involved, you need to add value to your team somehow. That's certainly not adding value.

"They are the moments in this league where if that's against us, I am pretty sure it's getting hit into the stands, it takes a minute to get it back and the game's done, everyone goes away feeling really good."

Millwall manager Gary Rowett:

"Swansea are very difficult to play against. They pass the ball well and create so much movement. But the flip side is that you are perhaps not so well set up when you come under pressure, and I said that to the players at half-time.

"Everything we worked on goes out the window after a minute and the second goal we have to defend better. We then had two clear penalties.

"We had to ride a bit of luck because Swansea still open you up and create those moments of quality. But we put them under pressure and if you keep knocking on the door and ask question, it's up to the opposition to see the game out.

"We took something out of a game that probably after 30 minutes I couldn't see us taking anything at all."

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