Florian Bianchini scored his first Swansea goal in his eighth appearance since joining from French second-tier club Bastia
Swansea City's goal drought finally came to end as Zan Vipotnik and Florian Bianchini struck in a 2-1 victory at Oxford United.
Vipotnik swept home Swansea’s first goal in 563 minutes of Championship football from close range before fellow summer recruit Bianchini steered in his first for the club.
Substitute Dane Scarlett's smart finish gave Des Buckingham's side hope of an unlikely late revival, but Swansea held on to end Oxford’s unbeaten home record in 2024-25.
This was a first victory in seven league games for Luke Williams' team, but it is now eight matches without a win for Oxford.
The hosts had their share of chances, with Ruben Rodrigues heading against the bar and Greg Leigh nodding narrowly wide in added time.
But Swansea, who also hit the woodwork through Myles Peart-Harris, were worthy winners.
They climb to 11th in the table with the day’s later fixtures to come, while Oxford drop to 16th.
Having gone five games without finding the target, Swansea looked a team determined to finally change the record during a first half they dominated.
There was early frustration as Matt Grimes' shot was unwittingly blocked by his team-mate, Josh Key, before Peart-Harris headed against the bar from Grimes’ corner.
Swansea’s goal – their first since 29 September - finally came seven minutes before half-time, when the impressive Key rolled a pass down the right flank for Ronald and his ball across the face left Slovenia striker Vipotnik to tap in at the far post.
Having offered nothing until that point, Oxford suddenly found some attacking momentum just before the break, with Tyler Goodrham’s shot well blocked by Harry Darling.
From the Josh McEachran corner which followed, Rodrigues' close-range header flicked to safety off the bar.
Zan Vipotnik (L) scored for only the second time since joining Swansea from Bordeaux in August
There was a feeling that Oxford simply had to improve after the break – and they duly created a golden chance as the stretching Mark Harris shot over from substitute Idris El Mizouni’s cross.
Swansea threatened too, with Vipotnik drawing a decent save from Jamie Cumming, before Oxford substitute Malcolm Ebiowei sliced wastefully wide.
The visitors looked to have secured the points when Goncalo Franco’s well-weighted pass allowed £2m signing Bianchini to arrow a low shot across Cumming and into the far corner.
But there was drama to come, with Scarlett’s shot nutmegging Harry Darling and nestling in the far corner to give Oxford hope.
They had one big chance to level, when Will Vaulks' long throw was half-cleared and he sent the ball back into the area, but Leigh headed just the wrong side of the post.
Oxford head coach Des Buckingham:
"I didn’t think we were very good at all for very large periods of the game.
"Despite not being very good with the ball, we have still created three very good goalscoring moments before Dane scored.
"We are so much better than what we have shown. We need to make sure we believe we are good enough to do what we do at this level.
"We have had a really good six to eight months. We knew this year was going to be a challenge. We will lose games of football, but we are not losing them that way, not while I am here."
Swansea head coach Luke Williams:
"I think we deserved to win. That’s really important for me.
"Oxford threw absolutely everything at us and I think we could have dealt with that a bit better, but I still think we were value for the victory.
"We played football how we want to play from the beginning. I don't think we waited for a goal to start playing.
"The point is I am trying to convince the players that if we play in a certain way from the beginning of games and throughout games, goals will come."
