Sky Bet EFL Championship
Saturday 25 October 2025
Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield
Sheffield Wednesday… 1
(Fusire 53’)
Oxford United… 2
(Lankshear 12’, Brannagan 36’)
Oxford United battled to a hard-fought 2-1 win away to Sheffield Wednesday, to gain the second away win of the season.
First-half goals from Will Lankshear and Cameron Brannagan put United into a commanding lead, but the home side fought back and put Gary Rowett’s side under immense pressure, although the Yellows hung on for a big three points on the road.
Friday brought positive news for Sheffield Wednesday supporters, which despite meant entering administration, saw a change at ownership level.
A 12 point deduction for Wednesday was applied, but after their Wednesday night defeat at home to Middlesborough in front of 3,000 home fans, three days later, Hillsborough was bursting with more than 30,000 in attendance.
The raucous party atmosphere was in full swing before kick-off, but Oxford were here to spoil the celebrations and try and grab a crucial three points.
Gary Rowett made three changes from Wednesday night’s defeat away to Wrexham, with Will Lankshear leading the line with Nik Prelec.
Filip Krastev was also in and he had the first shot on goal after 11 minutes, which was well pushed clear by Joe Lumley.
One minute later, United were in the lead with Will Lankshear grabbing his fourth of the season. The on-loan Tottenham Hotspur striker met Cameron Brannagan’s central cross at the back post, and he made no mistake to power a header low into the net.
Despite some home pressure, the chances for United continued to flow, with Prelec unfortunate not to get a shot on goal, slipping at the crucial moment.
The Bulgarian international Krastev had the best opportunity to make it two on 35 minutes. Winning the ball off Dominic Iorfa, Krastev just had the keeper to beat but he was too slow in making up his mind and the defender got back to clear.
Oxford immediately won a freekick more than 30 yards from goal, which Brannagan stepped over. He ignored the men in the box to go straight for goal, and he produced a rocket into the bottom right corner to give Gary Rowett’s side a deserved two-goal cushion.
There were further chances before the break to put the game out of sight, most notably with Lankshear having a close-range toe-poke turned away with minutes left in the half.
2-0 up at half-time, but Wednesday came straight back out to grab themselves a lifeline. Sean Fusire grabbed a crucial goal for the home side on 53 minutes, with his shot just inside the area going wide, but it deflected off Jack Currie and into the bottom right corner.
Wednesday were in the ascendency and their home crowd were roaring them on for the equaliser. United had to handle a great deal of pressure for the next 20 minutes to hold onto the one-goal lead.
The game had descended into a basketball match, with both teams stretched, and opportunities opening up at either end. In the main, United were up against it and had to put everything in to keeping the ball out of the net.
With Wednesday pushing forward, opportunities opened at the other end, with big chances falling to Przemyslaw Placheta and Mark Harris which should have put the game out of sight.
But in the end, United just about hung on, to secure a big three points on the road.
Sheffield Wednesday: Lumley, Palmer, Lowe, Fusire, Iorfa, Valery, Ingelsson, Lowe, Bannan, Amass, Cadamateri (Ugbo 64’)
Subs Not Used: Horvath, Mcneill, Otegbayo, Johnson, Emery, Alao, Fernandes, Thornton
Oxford United: Cumming, Brown, Helik, Brannagan (Vaulks 53’), De Keersmaecker, Spencer (Long 22’), Prelec (L. Harris 75’), Currie, Lankshear (M. Harris 75’), Davies, Krastev (Placheta 75’)
Subs Not Used: Ingram, Mills, Leigh, Dembele