Championship: Wednesday thrash Plymouth
Sheffield Wednesday 4 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Wayne Rooney's first match as head coach of Plymouth Argyle began on a sour note, as his team suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday.
The former England top scorer, who took charge of Argyle in May, watched his side struggle to create opportunities, while the home team cruised to victory.
Sheffield Wednesday dominated the first half and deservedly went into the break with a lead, courtesy of debutant Jamal Lowe, who tapped in from close range after a well-executed build-up.
Lowe was instrumental in Wednesday’s second goal, as his header from Djeidi Gassama’s cross deflected off Brendan Galloway for an own goal. The hosts continued to control the match.
Josh Windass made it three with a powerful shot from six yards after Anthony Musaba pulled the ball back from the byline.
Substitute Michael Smith completed the scoring in the sixth minute of added time, converting a close-range cross.
EFL: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)
More Sheffield Wednesday news and stories
Danny Rohl’s side could have easily scored more, as Argyle failed to produce any significant attempts on goal.
Wednesday started brightly, dominating early possession. Svante Ingelsson forced a good save from Conor Hazard, who was preferred in goal over Michael Cooper amid rumours of Cooper’s potential departure from Plymouth.
Our 4-0 victory at Hillsborough on Sunday was the Owls' biggest opening day win since 1931...
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) August 12, 2024
📆 It was a 6-1 win away at Blackburn on that day (29/08/31)#swfc pic.twitter.com/6bXMyCDl5C
Despite Rooney opting for a formation with two wingers and two strikers, Plymouth struggled to penetrate Wednesday's defence, with their first meaningful entry into the opposition penalty area coming after 16 minutes when Ibrahim Cissoko’s cross was blocked.
Wednesday capitalised on the spaces left in central midfield, with Barry Bannan and Windass taking control and dictating play, as they enjoyed nearly two-thirds of first-half possession.
Argyle’s Victor Palsson had to clear a dangerous cross from the impressive debutant Yan Valery, while Jamal Lowe saw his shot blocked shortly after.
Discover more news and stories from the Championship
It was Jamal Lowe who finally broke the deadlock. Valery and Bannan combined well to release Ingelsson on the right, whose low cross was perfectly placed for Lowe to convert on his 300th senior appearance.
The second half saw Wednesday continue their dominance, with Bannan having two shots blocked before they extended their lead. Nathanael Ogbeta couldn’t prevent Lowe from heading Gassama’s cross onto Galloway, resulting in an unfortunate own goal.
Gassama nearly made it 3-0 shortly after, but his shot at the back post found the side-netting following a good cross from Valery.
Rooney then made a triple substitution but it did little to change the momentum of the match. Gassama, Di'Shon Bernard, and Anthony Musaba all had chances for the Owls.
Windass then set up substitute Olaf Kobacki’s close-range effort, which was blocked, before sealing the victory himself with a decisive finish.
Jamal Lowe nearly added a fourth in stoppage time with a near-post header from a corner, but it was Marvin Johnson’s cross to Michael Smith that provided Wednesday’s final goal. Smith's initial effort was saved by Hazard, but he smashed in the rebound from close range.
Rooney and fans respond
Wayne Rooney on today's defeat.#pafc
— Plymouth Argyle FC (@Argyle) August 11, 2024
John-Paul, a Plymouth fan, told us: "We had the wrong starting lineup, we played the wrong goalkeeper. There was also a total lack of enthusiasm from players and fans. What an awful start to the season."
