Andre Ayew scores in Swansea City’s defeat of Blackburn Rovers

Swansea City were 2-0 victors against Blackburn Rovers in Saturday’s Championship encounter, with Ghana’s Andre Ayew among the goalscorers.

With the Riversiders threatening to erase their one-goal deficit, the 30-year-old guaranteed victory for Steve Cooper’s men a minute after the hour mark.

The hosts went into the game having silenced Stoke City in their penultimate outing on Tuesday at the Liberty Stadium.

For Rovers, they arrived in South Wales as the division’s leading scorers – with 18 goals from eight games. Against the Swans, however, they were unable to beat on loan Newcastle United goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

The first chance of the game fell to Adam Armstrong inside the opening minutes, albeit, his shot went wide despite skipping past Ben Cabango.

As the game progressed, the hosts grew in confidence. Jamal Lowe went close to scoring the opener after latching onto Yan Dhanda’s through ball.

Nevertheless, they took the lead in the 25th minute with Cabango – who returned to the starting XI - showing great strength to hold off Darragh Lenihan’s challenge to head home Conner Roberts’ corner.

Tony Mowbray’s team looked to respond with Joe Rankin-Costello heading wide from Lewis Holtby’s inviting cross. On the stroke of half-time, the left-back was involved at the other end as the Swans had a shout for a penalty turned down by referee Dean Whitestone.

Blackburn Rovers came out stronger in the second half in search of an equaliser but it was the Swans who doubled their advantage in the 61st minute through stand-in skipper Ayew who headed past goalkeeper Aynsley Pears from a sumptuous cross from Yan Dhanda.

Even at the two-goal deficit, the visitors kept fighting but returned home with their heads bowed low. Saturday’s victory was the Swans’ first in four attempts against Rovers.

Ayew who now boasts four goals in the 2020-21 Championship campaign so far, was in action from start to finish as well as Namibia international Ryan Nyambe for Blackburn Rovers.

With five wins from nine games, Cooper’s men are second in the league after accruing 18 points – three points less than leaders, Reading. They travel to Brentford in their next game on November 3.