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Swansea City 1–1 Crystal Palace

A second half strike from Palace defender Scott Dann cancelled out Gylfi Sigurdsson’s early free kick and left Swansea City frustrated at the Liberty Stadium.

In truth, Francesco Guidolin and his players would have viewed this as two points lost, as for the third successive game, the Swans couldn’t maintain a 1-0 lead and also missed a host of chances in the closing stages.

In torrential rain, it was the visitors who created the first real opening when Wilfried Zaha beat Neil Taylor down the right and crossed for Lee Chung-yong, who volleyed tamely over.

But 13 minutes in, the Swans struck from their first real chance as Sigurdsson was fouled by Emmanuel Adebayor on the edge of the area, and the Icelander then proceeded to curl the subsequent free kick low to Wayne Hennessey’s bottom left hand corner.

The Welsh keeper would have been disappointed with his role in the goal, with replays suggesting he stepped prematurely to his right and left himself too much to do to get across.

Seconds later, the home side threatened again when a Wayne Routledge cross was palmed away by Hennessey into the path of Andre Ayew, whose close range shot was blocked by Damien Delaney.

Emmanuel Adebayor, on his first start for Palace, headed a Yohan Cabaye free kick over and at the other end, a sliding Andre Ayew failed to turn a Sigurdsson corner back towards goal at the far post.

And then the Swans, who have now been ahead in their last five Premiership games but only converted two of those advantages into wins, missed a great chance to double their lead when Wayne Routledge clipped wide from Jack Cork’s pull back.

However, it was Alan Pardew’s men who finished the half the stronger as a weak back pass from Federico Fernandez meant Chung-yong Lukasz Fabianski had to be alert to clear away from Chung-yong.

And in injury time, Dann served warning of what was to come when his free header from a Joel Ward free kick skidded wide.

The visitors continued their spell of dominance early in the second half, and after Jordan Mutch saw his goal-bound header cleared away by Ashley Williams, they levelled after 48 minutes when Cabaye’s corner was flicked on by Damien Delaney, and poked home by Dann.

Cabaye then fired over from the edge of the area before the home side had appeals for a penalty waved away when Ayew went down under a challenge from Pape Souare.

And then the Swans began to up the tempo as Sigurdsson curled another free kick over, before Ayew’s spectacular back to goal effort drifted just wide.

Both home centre backs Fernandez and Williams had chances from corners from the influential Sigurdsson, but neither could connect properly from close range.

Swansea substitute Modou Barrow then cut in from the right and fired a left foot shot inches over, before at the other end, a Palace counter attack saw substitute Hiram Boateng come so close to a debut goal when his left foot effort deflected inches wide.

In the dying minutes, again Sigurdsson, now with five Premiership goals in six games to his name, threatened with a free kick from a similar position with which he had earlier scored - but this time Hennessey was up to the task and palmed his effort away.

And then late on the Icelander’s corner was met by Williams, whose first time volley cannoned off Souare to safety.

It all made for a frustrating result for the Swans, although Aston Villa’s win over Norwich leaves them four points clear of the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s home game with Southampton.

Swansea City: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel (Kyle Naughton 86), Ashley Williams (captain), Federico Fernandez, Neil Taylor, Andre Ayew, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jack Cork, Leon Britton Wayne Routledge (Modou Barrow 61), Alberto Paloschi (Bafetimbi Gomis 87).

Subs not used: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Jordi Amat, Leroy Fer, Jefferson Montero.

Crystal Palace: Wayne Hennessey, Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Yohan Cabaye (Hiram Boateng 71), Wilfried Zaha, Lee Chung-yong (Marouane Chamakh HT), Mile Jedinak (captain), Jordon Mutch, Pape Souare, Damien Delaney, Emmanuel Adebayor (Frazier Campbell 86).

Subs not used: Alex McCarthy, Brede Hangeland, Martin Kelly, Sullay Kaikai.

Referee: Mike Dean.
Assistant referees: Steve Bennett and Eddie Smart.
Fourth official: David Webb.

Attendance: 20, 492.