IRELAND INTERNATIONALS FINN Azaz and Tom Cannon were both on target as their respective sides won in the Championship tonight.
Cyle Larin scored his fifth goal of the season as Southampton beat Swansea 3-1 to humble a table-topper for the second home match in a row.
Larin, who is the joint-top scorer in the Championship, netted either side of Azaz and Leo Scienza strikes to make it 13 games unbeaten at St Mary’s in a row.
It followed Saints hammering previous leaders Millwall 5-1 10 days ago, although Swansea – who netted through Zan Vipotnik’s penalty – stayed level on points at the summit.
Swansea made five changes from the side which drew with Wrexham at the weekend and failed to have a shot on target in the first half – with the majority of their efforts blocked long before reaching Daniel Peretz.
On the other hand, the hosts were rampant as they eased through the Swans’ lines.
Scienza and Ryan Manning were the first to find open spaces behind their opposition in the fourth minute, but after their neat interchange, Azaz skied high into the stand.
But five minutes later the Republic of Ireland international found the bottom corner with a low left-footed shot, after Flynn Downes had powered through.
It was Azaz’s first goal in seven attempts against Swansea, his second of the season, and just the second goal the Swans had conceded in 2026-27.
Larin was the second player to go from putting supporters in the Chapel Stand at risk before scoring.
The Canadian snatched at a half-volley after a corner in the 25th minute, before sliding home eight minutes later.
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This time James Bree had made the run in behind the porous defence before squaring to Larin for his fifth league strike of the campaign, after two blanks.
Midfielder Downes had an opportunity to completely put the game to bed two minutes before the interval, but he hooked over the crossbar after a Larin knockdown.
Swansea boss Vitor Matos sent winger Ronald on at half-time and he brought immediate energy by bundling a shot over.
It was contagious for the away side, and within 10 minutes of the restart they had pulled a goal back.
Bree pulled back Vipotnik at the back post before the Slovenian picked himself up to fire into the bottom left corner from the spot – his seventh straight penalty success.
Despite a far more even balance of play, Southampton still had the better chances, as Keven Schlotterbeck’s poke forced a good save and Larin’s improvised header bounced narrowly wide.
And Scienza – who had seen a lashed shot battered away – secured the three points 12 minutes from the end by calmly slotting into the corner after being released by Kuryu Matsuki.
Tom Cannon of Sheffield United celebrates scoring the equalising goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Sheffield United returned to winning ways after a display of ruthless finishing secured a 2-1 win at Blackburn.
All goals came in a first half that Rovers dominated and deservedly took the lead in through Kristi Montgomery’s first goal for the club on 20 minutes.
The Blades were blunted without a shot in anger for the first 34 minutes, but they turned the game on its head with goals from their only two shots of the half as Cannon stroked home a second on this ground in two weeks in the 35th minute.
And Sydie Peck rifled home his first of the season a minute before the break to complete the turnaround.
Hamza Choudhury’s sensational goalline block preserved the lead in the second half, along with two smart Michael Cooper saves. But it was the spell of clinical finishing that made the difference as Chris Wilder’s men moved to within two points of the league summit.
Blackburn’s encouraging start was rewarded in the 20th minute when Montgomery dispossessed Peck and whipped the ball emphatically into the top right corner from 20 yards out.
They went close to doubling the advantage six minutes later when Jayden Fevrier, on his first Rovers start, broke forward for the hosts and released Dapo Afolayan on the left whose strike whistled just beyond the far post.
Cantwell had the ball in the net in the 35th minute when Mike Cooper could only parry Afolayan’s fierce strike, but the offside flag saved his blushes.
It proved vital as the Blades were level within a minute with their first effort of any note when Peck atoned for his part in the Blackburn goal by threading an inch-perfect ball for Cannon on the left, who calmly slotted under Aynsley Pears into the bottom right corner.
Peck had his pocket picked again minutes later after Romelle Donovan played him into trouble, but Fevrier’s low drive was deflected just wide of the right-hand post.
But Rovers fell behind in the 44th minute when Peck collected Joe Rothwell’s pass and brilliantly flicked over Tom Atcheson before hammering into the bottom left corner.
Blackburn’s best chance came in the 57th minute when the visitors failed to clear and the ball fell to Afolayan six yards out with just Choudhury to beat, but the defender remarkably blocked.
Ryan Alebiosu directed a shot just wide midway through the half when set clear, before Yuri Rubeiro kept Rovers in the game in the 72nd minute, clearing off the line after Sam McCallum’s shot squired under Pears.
Cooper made a smart stop low to his right to deny Fevrier with eight minutes to go and Blades held on to condemn Rovers to consecutive defeats.
Finally, Ireland international Gavin Bazunu made his debut for Bolton Wanderers as they suffered a 3-2 defeat at home to West Ham.
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Irish duo on target in Championship
Championship results:
IRELAND INTERNATIONALS FINN Azaz and Tom Cannon were both on target as their respective sides won in the Championship tonight.
Cyle Larin scored his fifth goal of the season as Southampton beat Swansea 3-1 to humble a table-topper for the second home match in a row.
Larin, who is the joint-top scorer in the Championship, netted either side of Azaz and Leo Scienza strikes to make it 13 games unbeaten at St Mary’s in a row.
It followed Saints hammering previous leaders Millwall 5-1 10 days ago, although Swansea – who netted through Zan Vipotnik’s penalty – stayed level on points at the summit.
Swansea made five changes from the side which drew with Wrexham at the weekend and failed to have a shot on target in the first half – with the majority of their efforts blocked long before reaching Daniel Peretz.
On the other hand, the hosts were rampant as they eased through the Swans’ lines.
Scienza and Ryan Manning were the first to find open spaces behind their opposition in the fourth minute, but after their neat interchange, Azaz skied high into the stand.
But five minutes later the Republic of Ireland international found the bottom corner with a low left-footed shot, after Flynn Downes had powered through.
It was Azaz’s first goal in seven attempts against Swansea, his second of the season, and just the second goal the Swans had conceded in 2026-27.
Larin was the second player to go from putting supporters in the Chapel Stand at risk before scoring.
The Canadian snatched at a half-volley after a corner in the 25th minute, before sliding home eight minutes later.
This time James Bree had made the run in behind the porous defence before squaring to Larin for his fifth league strike of the campaign, after two blanks.
Midfielder Downes had an opportunity to completely put the game to bed two minutes before the interval, but he hooked over the crossbar after a Larin knockdown.
Swansea boss Vitor Matos sent winger Ronald on at half-time and he brought immediate energy by bundling a shot over.
It was contagious for the away side, and within 10 minutes of the restart they had pulled a goal back.
Bree pulled back Vipotnik at the back post before the Slovenian picked himself up to fire into the bottom left corner from the spot – his seventh straight penalty success.
Despite a far more even balance of play, Southampton still had the better chances, as Keven Schlotterbeck’s poke forced a good save and Larin’s improvised header bounced narrowly wide.
And Scienza – who had seen a lashed shot battered away – secured the three points 12 minutes from the end by calmly slotting into the corner after being released by Kuryu Matsuki.
Sheffield United returned to winning ways after a display of ruthless finishing secured a 2-1 win at Blackburn.
All goals came in a first half that Rovers dominated and deservedly took the lead in through Kristi Montgomery’s first goal for the club on 20 minutes.
The Blades were blunted without a shot in anger for the first 34 minutes, but they turned the game on its head with goals from their only two shots of the half as Cannon stroked home a second on this ground in two weeks in the 35th minute.
And Sydie Peck rifled home his first of the season a minute before the break to complete the turnaround.
Hamza Choudhury’s sensational goalline block preserved the lead in the second half, along with two smart Michael Cooper saves. But it was the spell of clinical finishing that made the difference as Chris Wilder’s men moved to within two points of the league summit.
Blackburn’s encouraging start was rewarded in the 20th minute when Montgomery dispossessed Peck and whipped the ball emphatically into the top right corner from 20 yards out.
They went close to doubling the advantage six minutes later when Jayden Fevrier, on his first Rovers start, broke forward for the hosts and released Dapo Afolayan on the left whose strike whistled just beyond the far post.
Cantwell had the ball in the net in the 35th minute when Mike Cooper could only parry Afolayan’s fierce strike, but the offside flag saved his blushes.
It proved vital as the Blades were level within a minute with their first effort of any note when Peck atoned for his part in the Blackburn goal by threading an inch-perfect ball for Cannon on the left, who calmly slotted under Aynsley Pears into the bottom right corner.
Peck had his pocket picked again minutes later after Romelle Donovan played him into trouble, but Fevrier’s low drive was deflected just wide of the right-hand post.
But Rovers fell behind in the 44th minute when Peck collected Joe Rothwell’s pass and brilliantly flicked over Tom Atcheson before hammering into the bottom left corner.
Blackburn’s best chance came in the 57th minute when the visitors failed to clear and the ball fell to Afolayan six yards out with just Choudhury to beat, but the defender remarkably blocked.
Ryan Alebiosu directed a shot just wide midway through the half when set clear, before Yuri Rubeiro kept Rovers in the game in the 72nd minute, clearing off the line after Sam McCallum’s shot squired under Pears.
Cooper made a smart stop low to his right to deny Fevrier with eight minutes to go and Blades held on to condemn Rovers to consecutive defeats.
Finally, Ireland international Gavin Bazunu made his debut for Bolton Wanderers as they suffered a 3-2 defeat at home to West Ham.
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
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COYBIG finn azaz Ireland Republic Sheffield United Southampton the championship tom cannon