Swansea City 1-2 Derby County: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Swansea City 1-2 Derby County in the Championship on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Derby County took control in the first half, opening the scoring in the 34th minute when J. Ward finished off a move assisted by C. Elder, giving them a deserved lead based on their efficient play despite Swansea’s possession dominance.

The home side pushed hard but couldn’t break through before the break, with Derby looking solid at the back. In the second half, L. Salvesen extended Derby’s advantage in the 53rd minute with an unassisted goal, putting them in a strong position.

Swansea made a triple substitution in the 57th minute to inject energy, but Derby held firm until E. Galbraith pulled one back in the 90th minute without an assist, making for a tense finish. The visitors picked up two late yellow cards, one for B. Brereton Diaz in the 82nd and another for C. Elder in stoppage time, as they managed the clock. Despite Swansea’s late pressure, Derby secured a 2-1 victory, capitalising on their clinical finishing.

Swansea City dominated possession with 73% compared to Derby County’s 27%, which suggests they controlled much of the game’s tempo and territory, likely pinning Derby back for long spells and creating more opportunities, as evidenced by their four corners against Derby’s two.

However, this possession didn’t translate into goals until the very end, highlighting a lack of cutting edge in attack despite the territorial advantage. Derby’s two yellow cards point to some disciplinary issues late on, possibly from time-wasting or robust defending, while Swansea’s clean sheet in cards shows better composure.

Both teams made multiple substitutions, with Swansea using all five to try and turn the tide, including a triple change at 57 minutes that aimed to refresh their midfield and attack, whereas Derby’s three changes, including bringing on fresh legs in the 71st and 80th minutes, helped them maintain their lead without overhauling their structure.

The game’s first major turning point came in the 34th minute when Derby’s J. Ward scored, assisted by C. Elder, breaking the deadlock and shifting momentum towards the visitors who had been absorbing pressure.

This goal likely stemmed from a counter-attack, given Derby’s lower possession, and set the tone for their efficient approach. Swansea responded with a triple substitution at 57 minutes, bringing on G. Franco, M. Benson, and M. Stamenic for L. Cullen, Ronald, and J. Fulton, respectively, in an attempt to regain control.

Derby doubled their lead in the 53rd minute through L. Salvesen’s unassisted goal, capitalising on a defensive lapse from Swansea just before their substitutions. Late in the match, Derby received yellow cards: B. Brereton Diaz in the 82nd minute and C. Elder in the 90+4th for fouls or time-wasting as they protected their advantage. Swansea’s consolation came in the 90th minute from E. Galbraith’s unassisted strike, sparking a final push, but Derby held on despite further changes like Z. Vipotnik off for A. Idah in the 83rd.

Swansea City lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, aiming to utilise width and midfield control to dominate possession, which they did effectively with 73% of the ball, allowing them to build pressure through the flanks and central areas. Players like E. Galbraith provided creativity in midfield, culminating in his late goal, while the setup supported forwards such as A. Idah, who came on as a substitute.

The triple substitution at 57 minutes, swapping in G. Franco, M. Benson, and M. Stamenic, likely tweaked their attacking dynamics to chase the game, with further changes like J. Eom for Z. Inoussa at 74 minutes adding fresh legs on the wing.

Derby County set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, focusing on a solid defensive base with wing-backs providing width, which helped them absorb Swansea’s possession while hitting on the break, as seen in their two goals from J. Ward and L. Salvesen.

This structure allowed midfielders like C. Elder to contribute assists and maintain stability, enabling them to use 27% possession efficiently and secure the win. Substitutions such as L. Salvesen off for K. Jackson at 71 minutes and the double change at 80 minutes with P. Agyemang going off for A. Weimann and R. Nyambe for J. Ward, helping to manage the game amid yellow cards.

Ethan Galbraith earned Man of the Match honours for Swansea City with his tireless performance, netting one goal in the 90th minute without an assist, while delivering two key passes and no big chances created over his full 90 minutes on the pitch.

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Derby County (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Bristol City (A)
• Loss: 1-4 vs Ipswich Town (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Preston North End (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Charlton Athletic (A)

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Swansea City (A)
• Loss: 2-3 vs Watford (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Blackburn Rovers (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Hull City (H)
• Win: 3-1 vs Sheffield United (A)

Swansea City, currently 20th with 17 points, face West Bromwich Albion away on 29 November at 15:00, and this late defeat despite dominant possession could dent their confidence, especially with no new injuries or suspensions noted, leaving them needing to convert control into points to climb the Championship table.

Derby County, sitting seventh with 26 points, face Middlesbrough on 29 November at 15:00, and this gritty 2-1 win on the road, built on clinical finishing and solid defending, should boost their form heading into the fixture, though they’ll monitor any impact from the two yellow cards without apparent suspensions.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.