When Derby County scored in the 90th minute to beat Swansea City 2-1 at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, it wasn’t just three points—it was a lifeline. The win, sealed by Ethan Galbraith’s thunderous strike just seconds before full time, flipped the script after a dismal 2-0 home loss to Coventry City just two nights prior. The Rams, long seen as playoff dark horses, suddenly look like serious contenders. The match, played in chilly, rain-slicked conditions under the Welsh floodlights, ended with a roar from the 2,100 traveling Derby fans—and a stunned silence in the home stands.

From Disappointment to Dominance

John Eustace, Derby County’s First Team Manager, admitted his side was "a mess" in the first half against Swansea City. The visitors, missing three key midfielders due to injury, looked disjointed. Swansea, playing their 17th league game of the season, controlled possession and pressured relentlessly. But Derby’s defense—led by Joe Rodon Burgess and goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt Vigouroux—held firm. "We defended the box fantastically well," Eustace told RamsTV. "They had 62% of the ball in the first 45. We didn’t panic."

Then came the breakthrough. In the 34th minute, Joe Ward—a 21-year-old forward signed from League Two just last summer—pounced on a loose ball after a corner. A flick from Callum Elder found him at the back post, and his low drive slipped past Kristoffer Nordfeldt Vigouroux. The away end erupted. The goal was Derby’s first in open play since November 12.

Swansea’s Equalizer and the Turning Point

Swansea responded with urgency. Midfielder Lars Jorgen Salvesen, who had been quiet for 50 minutes, pounced on a miscommunication between Derby’s center-backs. A long ball over the top found him in space, and his left-footed curler kissed the post before nestling into the net. The stadium exploded. It was his first goal in 14 Championship appearances.

But the second half belonged to Derby. Eustace made one tactical switch: he pushed Ethan Galbraith from a deeper role to a central striker position, pairing him with Ward. "We always looked at a threat from early crosses from the sides in behind their center half," Eustace said. "We knew they were slow to recover."

By the 68th minute, Derby had 11 shots to Swansea’s three. The visitors were controlling the tempo without the ball—a hallmark of Eustace’s system. The game’s rhythm shifted. Swansea’s energy drained. The home crowd, once raucous, grew quiet. The twist? Derby didn’t need to dominate possession. They needed to strike.

The Winner: A Moment of Brilliance

At 89:47, the ball broke loose after a corner. Ethan Galbraith, now playing as a lone forward, drifted wide left. He received the ball with his back to goal, turned sharply past Ben Cabango, and unleashed a 22-yard strike that flew past the diving Kristoffer Nordfeldt Vigouroux into the top corner. The stadium froze. The Derby bench emptied. The clock read 90'+0'.

It was Galbraith’s third goal of the season—and his first from open play since August. "What a finish," Eustace said, shaking his head. "That’s not just luck. That’s belief. That’s character."

Just seconds later, Callum Elder received a yellow card for a late tackle, but the damage was done. The final whistle blew at 90'+5'. Derby had done it.

The Bigger Picture: Playoff Math and Psychological Shift

Before kick-off, Swansea City sat 19th in the 24-team Championship with 17 points from 17 games (4W-5D-8L). Derby County was 11th with 23 points. After the win, they leapt to 26 points (7W-5D-5L), just five behind 6th-place Stoke City and eight behind leaders Coventry City (40 points). The top six qualify for playoffs. The gap between 6th and 12th is now just four points.

Swansea, meanwhile, remain stuck in the relegation battle zone. Their last win? October 26. They’ve drawn five of their last seven. "We’re not far off," said Swansea manager Steve Cooper after the match. "But we need to turn draws into wins. That’s the difference between survival and staying here."

What’s Next? The Road to May

Derby’s next three fixtures are brutal: home against Middlesbrough (29 points), away to Barnsley (24 points), then a home clash with Brentford (31 points). But confidence is surging. Eustace has his team playing with structure, hunger, and a rare cohesion.

Swansea, meanwhile, face a must-win against Rotherham United on December 1. A loss could see them drop into the bottom three for the first time since August.

Historical Context: A Club Rebuilding

Derby County, founded in 1884, won the old First Division in 1972 and 1975. They’ve been in the Championship since 2014, with only one playoff appearance (2019) since then. Their 2025-26 campaign is their most promising since the days of Steve McClaren. Meanwhile, Swansea City, founded in 1912, won the League Cup in 2013 and spent four seasons in the Premier League between 2011 and 2018. Their decline has been steady since 2019. Now, they’re fighting just to stay afloat.