Soccer

Swansea and Wigan well positioned after home victories

Wigan marked their first home match in Europe with win

Swansea City goalscorer Wayne Routledge and St Gallen’s Ermir Lenjani battle for the ball during the Europa League match at the Liberty Stadium. Photograph: David Davies/PA
Swansea City goalscorer Wayne Routledge and St Gallen’s Ermir Lenjani battle for the ball during the Europa League match at the Liberty Stadium. Photograph: David Davies/PA
Thu Oct 03 2013 - 22:35

Group A
Swansea City 1
St Gallen 0
Swansea went clear at the top of Europa League Group A with a scrappy 1-0 win over St Gallen at the Liberty Stadium last night. Wayne Routledge got the only goal of the game six minutes into the second half, tapping in at the far post. Swansea were a long way short of the form they showed in humbling Valencia at the Mestalla in their first group game, and the visitors would have taken something from the game had striker Goran Karanovic converted a first-half penalty.

Swansea can now head into the home game with Kuban Krasnodar later this month knowing a win would make them strong favourites to claim a place in the last-32.

St Gallen will rue failing to take their golden opportunity when it arrived in just the 14th minute. Dwight Tiendalli was adjudged to have handled in the box, but Karanovic's weak spot-kick was easily saved by Gerhard Tremmel. Routledge got the decisive strike when Wilfried Bony's shot from Alejandro Pozuelo's pass was only half saved, and the winger had the easy task of finishing.
Group D
Wigan Athletic 3
Maribor 1
Wigan marked their first home match in Europe with a maiden Europa League victory over Slovenians Maribor. Owen Coyle's side should have been more than two ahead at half-time and there were a few nervy moments after Maribor pulled one back but a late goal from Nick Powell made it 3-1. Powell scored the first in the 21st minute but the on-loan Manchester United midfielder owed a major debt of thanks to Maribor keeper Jasmin Handanovic. Jean Beausejour's deflected cross did not look likely to cause any danger but Handanovic inexplicably punched the ball behind him for Powell to nod into an empty net. Beausejour had more of an intentional hand in the second goal 34 minutes in, sending in a superb cross that left cup final hero Ben Watson the simple task of heading past Handanovic. Maribor captain Tavares pulled a goal back on the hour mark, but Powell made sure with an individual effort in injury time. Wigan are well positioned on four points in Group D, two behind Rubin Kazan who the Latics play home and away next.