Routledge downs St Gallen to take Swans clear

Swansea City AFC continued their impressive run of results in the UEFA Europa League as Wayne Routledge's second-half goal secured victory over FC St Gallen.

The Premier League side moved three points clear at the top of Group A although a tight and absorbing contest might have produced a different outcome had Goran Karanovic not hit a tame penalty straight at home goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel after 15 minutes. That came after Dwight Tiendalli was adjudged to have handled a Roberto Rodriguez cross and it was not the only scare for the home side in the first half, with Marco Mathys put clear by Rodriguez soon after only to roll his shot wide of the far post.

Swansea had begun the match with Michu nodding over from the game's first corner and their best opening of the half fell to Jordi Amat who saw goalkeeper Daniel Lopar turn his header on to the far post in the 24th minute. Alejandro Pozuelo and Wilfried Bony also threatened, but Swansea's fluency was not helped by Michu’s temporary exit for a lengthy spell of treatment for a nasty head injury.

Swansea's winning goal arrived after 52 minutes and it followed some nice work in midfield by Leon Britton and Pozuelo, the latter releasing Bony on the right side of the box. Lopar took the sting out of Bony's ensuing angled shot but Routledge turned the loose ball in at the far post.

St Gallen did not surrender their 12-game unbeaten record without a fight. Substitute Alhassane Keita killed perfectly a long ball over the top by Stéphane Besle but his lobbed finish landed on the roof of the net. Stéphane Nater then struck a low shot against the outside of the post yet Swansea continued to threaten on the break with Lopar saving well to keep out Nathan Dyer's volley with his legs.