CHAMPIONSHIP Plymouth Argyle 1 Oxford United 1
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 January 2025 07:53
- Published on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 22:25
- Written by ROSS REID at Home Park
The greens are still seeking their first Championship win in 12 games, since a 1-0 home victory over Portsmouth on November 5.
Argyle remain bottom of the second tier two points from safety with 21 points from 26 games and 20 league matches remaining.
Muslic was forced to make a key change to the Argyle side which upset Brentford in the FA Cup with Dan Grimshaw recalled in goal, as Northern Ireland goalkeeper Conor Hazard was ruled out by injury.
Polish international Tymoteusz Puchacz debuted at left back and record signing Michael Baidoo, who featured at Brentford, made his home bow.
Oxford - unbeaten in the league since appointing Gary Rowett as head coach before a 3-2 home win over Cardiff - included their own Polish international winger Przemysław Płacheta in the only change from the yellows last league outing, a 1-1 draw at Preston North End.
Grimshaw was called into first minute action to punch clear at the far post as Argyle’s defence failed to deal with a dangerous cross from the right.
On 10 minutes Jamie Cumming made a brilliant save to keep out Rami Al Hajj’s first time goalbound shot to meet Puchacz’s pacy cross from the left. Bali Mumba followed up but fired high and over from an acute angle.
Al Hajj went close from 20 yards with a 15th minute shot on the run, which flew just past the post.
Playmaker Morgan Whittaker, who scored a brilliant solo winner at Brentford, fired wide from the edge of the box on 18 minutes after being cleverly set-up by busy El Hajj.
Puchacz went closest from a 23rd minute corner, from the right, which had to be cleared off the line by a defender.
Bali Mumba teed up Puchacz for an angled shot just inside the penalty area on 27 minutes, which flew just over the bar from the left.
Against the run of play and with their first shot on target in the first half Oxford took the lead from a thumping Will Vaulks strike from outside the box on 44 minutes.
Sam Long crossed from the left, putting Mark Harris in on goal. The striker chose to tee up Vaulks who gave Grimshaw no chance with a brilliant first-time rising drive into the roof of the net from 20 yards.
Oxford came close to scoring at the start of the second half with Vaulks’ long throw-in bouncing across the face of Grimshaw’s goal.
Argyle restored parity when a superb Puchacz cross from the left was glanced home by Al Hajj at the near post on 63 minutes.
Brendon Galloway headed just over from a Puchacz free kick on 77 minutes as Argyle went in search of a second goal.
Grimshaw had to make a brilliant stoppage time save to deny Oxford substitute Siriki Dembele as he cut through the home defence and let fly on the run from just inside the box and the keeper again denied Dembele with seconds remaining.
Attendance 15,933
Next up for Argyle? QPR home on Saturday 1230ko
SWSN Star Tymoteusz Puchacz
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