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Swansea City draws with Holstein Kiel in Austria pre-season friendly

Swansea City drew 2-2 against Holstein Kiel in their opening pre-season fixture at the Kufstein Arena in Austria.

Asude Karataş • 18 Temmuz 2026 20:00 • 2 dk okuma • 16 görüntülenme

Swansea City drew 2-2 with Holstein Kiel during their first pre-season friendly at the Kufstein Arena in Austria. Golden Boot winner Zan Vipotnik was absent from the squad, though the striker traveled with the club for a broader training camp that includes matches against Bundesliga second-tier side VFL Bochum and Italian side Udinese.

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Match Details
Squad Updates

Match Details

The German visitors opened the scoring when Ronald found the back of the net early in the encounter. Swansea responded through Adam Idah, who restored the club's lead before the opposition equalized. Manager Vitor Matos employed a rotation strategy, fielding fresh lineups for each half, with only Scottish defender Stephen Welsh appearing in both periods after playing 60 minutes.

Midway through the Austrian camp, Swansea face VFL Bochum on July 21 at 17:00 BST, followed by a fixture against Udinese on July 24 at 12:00 BST. These friendlies form part of the club's pre-season preparation ahead of the competitive campaign.

Squad Updates

Vipotnik, who claimed the Championship Golden Boot with 23 goals in the previous season after joining on a free transfer in 2024, remains unavailable for selection. Midfielder Goncalo Franco was also excluded from the Austrian trip after undergoing ankle surgery following an injury sustained during a behind-closed-doors match against Exeter City. The absences suggest the club is managing player fitness carefully during the early stages of pre-season.

Why was Zan Vipotnik not involved in the Swansea vs Holstein Kiel match?+

Vipotnik was absent from the starting lineup for the friendly, though he traveled with the squad to Austria. The reasons for his non-appearance were not disclosed by the club or manager Vitor Matos.

What is Zan Vipotnik's recent scoring record?+

Vipotnik scored 23 goals in the previous season, earning him the Championship Golden Boot award. He joined Swansea City on a free transfer during 2024.

What other pre-season matches does Swansea have scheduled?+

Swansea will face VFL Bochum on July 21 at 17:00 BST and Udinese on July 24 at 12:00 BST, both during their Austria training camp.

Which players were unavailable for the Austria training camp?+

Goncalo Franco was excluded after undergoing ankle surgery for an injury sustained in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Exeter City. Vipotnik traveled with the squad but did not feature in the Holstein Kiel match.

How did manager Vitor Matos use his squad rotation strategy?+

Matos named fresh lineups for each half of the match, with Stephen Welsh as the only exception, playing 60 minutes to gain match fitness.

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