Swansea City 1 ADO Den Haag 0

Swansea City rounded off their pre season preparations with a well earned win against Ado Den Haag at the Liberty Stadium.

Jason Scotland started up front and it was encouraging to see him play for 62 minutes. Britton also returned from flu to start. It would be the tourists that would get the first clear cut chance to open the scoring when Karim Soltani headed the ball low towards Dorus De Vries' goal but the Dutchman was alert to the threat and saved the effort easily. Swansea were now beginning to get their passing game going and were unlucky not to have gone 1-0 up early on. Jason Scotland making his first start in pre season got into a good position to trouble Robert Zwinkels in the Den Haag goal. However the build up play did not match the final effort and Scotland dragged his shot wide of the keeper.

Swansea were unlucky not to break the deadlock soon after when Dorus De Vries started an attack that deserved an end product. Fabien Brandy picked up the ball clear in space but the Manchester United youngster hesitated in getting his shot away, meanwhile his marker had tracked back with the pacy youngster. Scuffing his shot Zwinkels saved the strikers effort with his outstretched legs, but the danger had not cleared. A resurgent and much stronger Shaun MacDonald could not put the loose ball past the 25 year old. Orlandi had another chance to open the scoring after Scotland held off his marker to offload the ball to the Spaniard. Swansea were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty just minutes later after Brandy stormed into the box with pace and purpose only to be brought down by defender Aleksandar Rankovic. But much to his protestations the referee waved play on.

Picking up the ball on the far touchline MacDonald continued to dazzle. Fresh from the news of his international call up to the Wales U-21 side, the midfielder burst into the penalty area and forced Zwinkels into a save but in truth it was a missed opportunity. In support were Brandy and Scotland free in space waiting to make the easiest of tap ins but MacDonald brimming with confidence decided to shoot instead.
Orlandi also now with his tail up atoned for his early miss 37 minutes into the first half stormed past three Den Haag defenders and unleash an unstoppable shot low into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

Half Time Score: Swansea 1-0 Ado Den Haag

The second half started in the same vain as the first with Swansea firmly on top. Roberto Martinez made his first changes not soon after the restart with Ashley Williams replacing Garry Monk and Ferrie Bodde giving way for Owain Tudur-Jones. It would be man of the match Andrea Orlandi who would get the first chance to double Swansea's lead after a free kick was awarded to the home side. 25 yards out the midfielder curled his shot around the wall but was inches over the crossbar. Gaining in confidence and momentum Swansea launched a raid down the flank with Macdonald running at his marker whipped in a dangerous low cross into the Den Haag penalty area, so good was the delivery even Brandy could not react quickly enough and the deftest of touches would have put Swansea 2-0 up.

Swansea City 1-0 ADO Den Haag (7:45pm)
Orlandi '37

LINE-UPS:

Swansea City: Dorus de Vries, Alan Tate (C), Garry Monk (Ashley Williams, 51'), Albert Serran, Fede Bessone, Leon Britton (Jordi Gomez, 62'), Shaun MacDonald, Ferrie Bodde (Owain Tudur Jones, 54'), Andrea Orlandi, Febian Brandy, Jason Scotland (Joe Allen, 62').

Subs: Rhys Wilson (GK), Ashley Williams, Marcos Painter, Matty Collins, Mark Gower, Jordi Gomez, Owain Tudur Jones, Joe Allen, Chad Bond, Stefan Morrison

ADO Den Haag: Robert Zwinkels, Csaba Horvath, Pascal Bosschaart, Aleksander Rankovic (Virgilio Teixeira, 32'), Yuri Cornelisse (Hursut Meric, 62'), Richard Knopper, Karim Soltani (Wesley Verhoek, 63'), Robin Faber, Hans van der Haar (Lex Immers, 63'), Levi Schwiebbe, Leroy Resodihardjo.

Subs: Wesley Verhoek, Ekrem Kahya, Lex Immers, Mike de Geer, Kai van Hese, Remco Claasse, Tim de Meersman, Arni Gauter Arason, Hursut Meric, Virgilio Teixeira

More to follow.

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