Liam Cullen seals Swansea back-to-back wins with victory over Portsmouth

Swansea earned their second win in four days to ease their relegation concerns thanks to substitute Liam Cullen’s strike to seal a 1-0 win over Portsmouth.

The Wales international swept home a superb effort from 20 yards in the 78th minute for the only goal of a tight content between two clubs who have been in poor recent form.

But following Swansea’s victory over Oxford last weekend, it means new boss Vitor Matos has delivered back-to-back league victories for the first time since April.

The win has lifted Swansea six points clear of the relegation zone but Pompey remain in the bottom three and have won just once in their last 10 matches.

Both clubs were in search of points to ease relegation fears, with Portsmouth’s need more pressing as they began the night in 22nd position with Swansea just above the drop zone one place above the visitors.

It was frenetic but untidy for most of the first half with neither side capable of taking any of the few chances that came their way.

Swansea pressed the harder and had the clearer opportunities, but Eom Ji-Sung slid an early shot wide before both Adam Idah and Brazilian Ronald were unable to get a touch to a tempting cross from Ethan Galbraith.

Portsmouth’s efforts were even more sparse, with their most significant attempt coming when Swansea keeper Lawrence Vigouroux palmed away a volley hammered into the ground by Conor Chaplin.

Swansea centre-back Cameron Burgess flicked a header just over the bar from a corner, before Idah did well to create an opening for Melker Widell.

The Swedish midfielder pivoted neatly in the penalty area but his snapshot was met with a sharp save from Portsmouth keeper Nicolas Schmid.

It remained goalless at the break and neither side were able to alter the picture in the opening period after the restart.

Jeers

Josh Murphy – cheerily booed by Swansea fans for being a former Cardiff player – almost gave the home fans something else to be aggrieved with but his shot from the left side of the penalty box was turned around the post from Vigouroux.

It was a signal that although Pompey were spending most of the game on the back foot, they remained a threat on the counter-attack.

Swansea’s recently appointed head coach Matos made a number of changes on the hour mark and was almost rewarded when substitute Zan Vipotnik hit the side-netting from a narrow angle on the right just moments after coming on.

With pressure on the Portsmouth goal building, the deserved breakthrough finally arrived for Swansea in the 78th minute through Cullen.

Zeidane Inoussa did the work on the left flank and when Malick Yalcouye mis-controlled it gave Cullen just enough space to swipe home a curling shot from the edge of the box.