Luhukay praise for Sheffield Wednesday's perseverance

The Owls had not triumphed in the league since Boxing Day, when they won at Nottingham Forest, but Luhukay claims his charges have shown no lack of application despite results not going their way.

That was rewarded on Tuesday night as a goal in either half from Lucas Joao secured a 2-0 victory over Derby.

Bradley Johnson, Matej Vydra and Andreas Weimann all spurned chances to offer Derby a lifeline but none of them could produce the end product, leaving Luhukay to reflect on a hard-earned triumph.

He said: “I am very happy, first for my team and of course all of our fans. It wasn’t an easy game, it was a very difficult game, but we tried to give the best.

“In the first half, the first 20 to 25 minutes, we had good control and we made a good goal. It was also important, as we didn’t have many chances but we made the second goal, which for the mental situation of my team was very important.

“Then we had to be very hard-working, fighting for a good result at the end. I must say this team gives every day, every game, 100 per cent.

“I think we were highly effective. Our chances, I think we maybe had three chances and we scored two goals but in the last games we’ve had more, many more chances, and we forgot to score and you cannot win then.”

Wednesday started positively and were rewarded in the 18th minute. Jack Hunt brought down Adam Reach’s lofted pass well before rolling the ball to Joao, who slotted into the bottom right corner first time.

Joao then doubled Wednesday’s advantage after cutting inside and unleashing a thunderous shot into the bottom right again two minutes into the second half.