Mukasa winner takes West Ham second with victory at leaders Swansea

West Ham moved into second place in the Championship after Divine Mukasa's first-half goal secured a 1-0 victory at leaders Swansea on Saturday. The Guardian reported that the result left the visitors one point behind their opponents, with a record crowd of 20,973 watching at the Swansea.com Stadium.

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The victory completed a week in which West Ham collected seven points from three league matches. They had drawn 1-1 at home to QPR, a game in which Jarrod Bowen missed a late penalty, before winning 6-0 at Lincoln. The success in Wales was their second win in four days.

Manager Nuno Espírito Santo praised his players' effort and togetherness after the match, according to the Guardian. He said the team had wanted to strengthen their momentum rather than simply preserve it. Nuno also highlighted the quality of Swansea and the intensity of the contest as he reflected on the week's demands.

BBC Sport reported that West Ham were the first visiting team to win a league match at Swansea since Southampton in April. Mukasa's goal changed the pattern of a previously tight encounter, with the home side having to push for an equaliser. Swansea created opportunities to draw level but could not convert their best openings.

Those chances fell to centre-back Cabango from set-pieces. He hit the crossbar with one effort and sent another wide when an equaliser appeared likely, according to the BBC's account. The missed opportunities left Swansea without a goal and ensured that Mukasa's first-half contribution remained decisive despite the hosts' attempts to recover.

Swansea manager Vitor Matos urged his players to turn their disappointment into higher standards in training. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said the performance showed they could compete with and beat a team he regarded as a leading promotion contender. His message was to retain that frustration as motivation to improve, rather than allow the result to erase the encouragement he took from the contest.