Joel Piroe proud to reach 20 goals in back-to-back Swansea City campaigns

Joel Piroe was proud to become the first Swansea City player to score 20 goals in consecutive seasons since Jason Scotland in 2009.

The striker couldn’t have left it any later to reach the landmark as he curled the ball in from a free-kick with his final touch of the 2022-23 season to secure a dramatic 3-2 win over West Bromwich Albion.

It was an entertaining encounter between the two sides in which the Baggies led twice.

Okay Yokuslu and then Semi Ajayi had given their side the lead, but the visitors were pegged back on both occasions by Luke Cundle and Olivier Ntcham, before Piroe stepped up in the 93nd minute to give the Swans three points.

But the matchwinner was selflessly keen to praise team-mate Joel Latibeaudiere for his part in the goal.

“Latibeaudiere was looking at me asking ‘where are you going to shoot it?’ I just said to him 'left corner, so be ready to clear the space,'” he said.

“He did his job, and I think that I had to score from there.

“I think it’s the best last kick of a season I’ve had. I’m very pleased with it.

“It’s incredible [to score 20 or more goals in back-to-back seasons]. I’m very pleased that I reached it.

“I’m really pleased to be the first player to do that for Swansea in 14 years, I’m proud of that.

“I think we showed again that we have unbelievable courage and belief. We believed in each other and the plan to come back and win the game.

“It’s always nice when you win, even if the play-offs are out of reach, it was good to give the crowd something back to them.

“They were behind us from the start, and we wanted to give something back to them.”