Zan Vipotnik strikes again as Swansea City down struggling Leicester City - European Football

Zan Vipotnik’s 23rd goal of the season in all competitions was enough to get Swansea City back to winning ways at the King Power Stadium – and pile on further misery for relegation-threatened Leicester City.

The hosts, who saw their six-point deduction confirmed earlier in the week, had enjoyed the better of what was otherwise a half low on excitement, with Ricardo Pereira hitting the post, while Oliver Skipp saw an effort cleared off the line by Vipotnik.

But Swansea took their efforts up a notch in the second half, and took the lead in fine style as the Slovenian lashed home to round off a brilliant counter-attack led by Eom Jisung.

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The result ends a run of four games without a win for the Swans, and gives Vitor Matos a fourth away win in charge.

Swansea now sit 14th with four games to go, but Matos will view this as another important step in his bid to finish the season on a high.

Despite their side not having too much to play for, Swansea fans have been fairly well entertained recently, following up the dramatic 3-3 draw with Sheffield United on Good Friday with a thoroughly watchable 2-2 stalemate with Middlesbrough on Easter Monday.

Matos has, on a couple of occasions, stressed he wants to squeeze everything he can out of this current group over the last remaining weeks of the season

It would have taken a lot of squeezing to find any semblance of entertainment in the opening 20 minutes or so here, in what was an attritional and largely uninspiring start.

Swansea did have a few sniffs at goal, mind.

Marko Stamenic headed wide from Josh Tymon’s freekick, while Melker Widell saw a long-range effort deflected wide, but neither goalkeeper had much to do until the clock ticked towards half an hour.

Ricardo Pereira’s stinging effort evaded Lawrence’s Vigouroux’s glove, but managed to kiss the post on its way wide.

The Swans keeper was then called into action 10 minutes before half-time, clawing away Patson Daka’s deft header at the near post, before gathering a deflected effort from the Zambian a few moments later.

Daka then volleyed straight into the arms of Vigouroux again after controlling inside the box, and the hosts looked to be edging into the ascendency.

Youngster Sam Parker, who kept his place on the right of the back four after an impressive performance against Middlesbrough, handed them a golden opportunity five minutes before the break.

His wayward backpass was seized upon by Abdul Fatawu, who then fired narrowly wide.

Leo Walta, making only his second start since signing on the final day of January, then curled a freekick over the bar as Swansea searched for further intensity in the final third.

Top scorer Vipotnik has so often been the most potent source of attacking inspiration this season, but he was forced to muck in at the other end before the interval, clearing off the line after Ollie Skipp turned a shot towards goal following a corner.

The Slovenian then teed up for the onrushing Widell early in the second half, but the Swede couldn’t keep his shot down.

However, Vipotnik would have a say on this contest on 53 minutes.

A poor Leicester freekick was seized upon by Eom, who ran nearly the entire length of the field before slipping a pass into the Swans number nine, and he duly fired home into the roof the net.

Another great moment for Vipotnik, but one that sparked a cascade of toxicity from the locals, who 10 years ago were on their way to toasting a Premier League title.

Not that there was much sympathy from the 1,200 travelling Jacks, even when former Swans man Jordan Ayew was introduced, as the increasingly desperate Foxes looked for an opening.

Welshman Jordan James, another substitute for the home side, bungled a volley that never looked likely to cause Vigouroux any issues, while Jamaal Lascelles headed wide 10 minutes from time.

Stamenic’s speculative effort from 25 yards was about as close as Swansea came to a second, but the visitors saw it out for a well-earned three points.

Leicester City: Stolarczyk; Ricardo Pereira (Choudhury 87), Lascelles, Vestergaard, Thomas; Skipp (Decordova-Reid 62), Winks; Fatawu, Mukasa (James 73), Mavididi (Ayew 62); Daka (Monga 73)

Subs: Begovic, Aluko,, Aribo, Souttar

Swansea City: Vigouroux; Parker (Ward 57), Cabango, Burgess, Tymon; Nunes, Walta (Franco 57), Stamenic, Eom (Cullen 72), Widell (Ronald 77); Vipotnik (Idah 72)

Subs: Fisher, Cooper, Fulton, Yalcouye

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