Oxford’s Roofe floors Swansea
Print Edition
KEMAR Roofe scored twice as fourth-tier Oxford United pulled off the first major shock in this season’s English FA Cup by stunning Premier League straggler Swansea City 3-2 yesterday.
In Swansea’s first game since Alan Curtis was placed in charge until the end of the season, the Welsh club, 17th in the Premier League, took a 23rd-minute lead courtesy of a classy back-heel by Jefferson Montero.
But Liam Sercombe’s penalty drew Oxford level on the stroke of half-time and Roofe’s classy 10-minute brace took the League Two club into round four despite Bafetimbi Gomis replying for Swansea in the 66th minute.
“It’s going crazy out there. Everyone is bouncing. The atmosphere was brilliant and it’s the same in the dressing room now,” Roofe, who came through the youth ranks at West Bromwich Albion, told BBC Sport.
“We’re probably used to more possession in the league and obviously we came up against a well-known passing team, but we matched them and got in their faces.
“We’ll enjoy the moment tonight, maybe have the day off tomorrow, and get back on it the day after.”
Curtis, who had previously been working as manager in a caretaker capacity following the dismissal of Garry Monk, gambled by making 10 changes to his starting XI at the Kassam Stadium.
He saw his team go ahead with a beautifully constructed goal, Montero darting in from the left, exchanging passes with Marvin Emnes and beating goalkeeper Sam Slocombe with a deft, improvised finish.
But Oxford equalized in the 45th when Sercombe drilled home from the spot after Kyle Bartley was penalized for diving in on Alex MacDonald.
Roofe, who turned 23 last Wednesday, put Oxford ahead four minutes after the break, curling a shot past Kristoffer Nordfeldt from outside the box, and 10 minutes later he claimed his second goal after a swift Oxford break.
Gomis reduced the arrears with a cool finish from Jack Cork’s disguised pass, but Oxford, the League Cup winner in 1986, withstood late pressure to claim one of the most famous results in its history.
“We’re absolutely gutted,” said stand-in Swansea skipper Bartley. “We didn’t start well enough and all credit to Oxford, they came out and played well.
“It’s a big disappointment, but we definitely didn’t underestimate them. We knew it would be a tough game.”
Chelsea was opening its FA Cup campaign at home to third-tier Scunthorpe United later yesterday, while Tottenham Hotspur was hosting Leicester City in a clash of top-flight high fliers at White Hart Lane in London.
There were no major upsets in Saturday’s third-round action, but Manchester United needed a stoppage-time penalty from Wayne Rooney to earn a 1-0 win over third-tier Sheffield United.
Holder Arsenal, bidding for a third consecutive success in the competition, and Manchester City went through, but Liverpool was taken to a replay by fourth-tier Exeter City after a 2-2 draw on Friday.
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