When a match is cagey, the first goal changes everything. The team in front can slow the tempo, protect space and force the opponent to chase. That is why a missed close-range opportunity carries extra weight, especially in a fixture that appears to be short on clean chances.
Scramble situations look simple on replay, but they are difficult in real time. The ball can sit awkwardly. Bodies fill the six-yard area. A striker has almost no time to adjust shape or pick a corner. What looks like a routine finish is often rushed by traffic, noise and instinct.
For Swansea, the positive is that they were able to create danger in a crowded penalty area. For Watford, the warning is obvious: failure to clear decisively can turn one half-cleared attack into a golden opening.
The important question after a miss like that is emotional as much as tactical. Does Swansea keep attacking with conviction, or does the chance linger? Does Watford settle down, or does that escape invite more pressure?
That is now the storyline to watch. If another big opening comes, the response to Opoku’s miss may end up telling the real story of the match.