The Tigers capped a stunning week with a vital home victory
Barry Cooper Hull City correspondent
16:58, 24 Jan 2026
Oliver McBurnie of Hull City celebrates his goal(Image: Alfie Cosgrove/News Images)
Hull City survived a second-half fightback to make it three wins in a week with a battling 2-1 success over Swansea City at the MKM Stadium.
Oli McBurnie’s 11th goal of the season set City on their way after 24 minutes from the penalty spot after Ben Cabango’s handball, before Regan Slater’s stunning rocket made it two just before the break.
The Swans were dominant at the start of the second half, and they deservedly pulled themselves back into it just before the hour when Liam Cullen glanced in.
City had to withstand heavy second half pressure, and at the end of a long week, they looked tired near the end holding out for a big three points.
Jakirovic made two changes from the side that won convincingly at Preston North End in midweek, with Joe Gelhardt coming back into the starting XI, along with fit-again Kyle Joseph. David Akintola and Matt Crooks dropped to the bench, where they were joined by new arrival Kieran Dowell.
On a freezing, windy afternoon, the side from South Wales settled the better in what was a disjointed opening with Amir needing lengthy treatment for a bang to his head. John Egan made a vital interception to thwart Ronald. From the corner, Ben Cabango free at the back post should have done better with the header he looped well over.
The first half was a scrappy affair but City took the lead midway through it from the penalty spot. Burgess clattered Gelhardt, and from Amir’s free-kick, Cabango’s raised arm hit the ball and referee Josh Smith could do nothing other than point to the spot. McBurnie from 12 yards, hammered the ball the opposite way to Lawrence Vigouroux’s dive to give the hosts the lead.
It was almost two minutes later when Amir’s ball through found Joseph inside the left channel, but Vigouroux was out quickly to thwart the returning forward.
Swansea should have been level just before the half-hour when Zan Vipotnik somehow turned Josh Tymon’s cross wide unmarked and about a yard out at the back post. It was an incredible miss and a timely reminder of the threat the visitors posed. He somehow missed again shortly after, with an almost identical chance that proved costly.
The Tigers doubled their lead in some style just before the break when Millar’s terrific run found its way to Slater on the edge of the box, he took a touch and powered in a fizzing strike to lift the lid on the MKM Stadium, which had been as raucous as it had for some time.
City were purring now, with Gelhardt inches wide and then Millar, who forced a fine diving save from Vigouroux to keep it at 2-0 going into the break.
Josh Key came on at the break, replacing Ethan Galbraith. After a teasing run and deflected shot, Millar was booked for a late lunge on halfway when he hacked down Ji-sung.
Swansea’s absolute dominance at the start of the second half was rewarded moments after John Lundstram and Yu Hirkawa were introduced in place of Millar and Gelhardt.
After intense pressure, Liam Cullen’s deft header at the near post from a corner got the visitors back into the hame just shy of the hour. Egan then headed just wide from Yu’s teasing cross, as the visitors made a triple change with 25 minutes to go.
Melker Widell, Marko Stamenic, and Gustavo Nunes were all sent on in place of Eom, Ronald and Franco, with 25 left.
If he was a spectator in the first half, Pandur was kept busy in the second, making a couple of fine saves to keep City in front.
Just under 20 minutes were left when Jakirovic went to a back five, bringing on Matty Jacob and David Akintola for McBurnie and Amir.
Yu almost made it three with a thrilling run and shot which was parried into the path of Joseph, who couldn’t apply the finish from a couple of yards out.
Jay Fulton was replaced by Malick Yalcin with just over 10 minutes left, and the visitors were trying to salvage something, but could not find a way through a determined rearguard display. Dowell made his debut in place of Joseph in the final minute.
And that was that, City back to within five points of the top two and with a game in hand. The season of surprises continues, to, well, surprise us.
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Hull City: Pandur, Famewo, Hughes, Egan, Coyle (c), Amir, Slater, Millar, Joseph, McBurnie, Gelhardt. Subs: Phillips, Dowell, Lundstram, Crooks, McCarthy, Akintola, Ndala, Jacob, Hirakawa.
Swansea City: Vigouroux; Galbraith, Cabango (C), Burgess, Tymon; Fulton, Franco, Cullen; Ronald, Eom, Vipotnik. Subs: Fisher, Key, Stamenic, Widell, Yalcouye, Nunes, Wales, Ward, Cooper.
Referee: Josh Smith
Man of the Match: Regan Slater
Attendance: 21,912 (around 300 from Swansea City)
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