Stoke City continued their spectacular recent form with a hard-fought 1-0 win over relegation rivals Swansea City on Saturday. They snapped their three-game winless streak with a 2-1 home victory. The Potters showed their fight when Ben Pearson equalised, followed by Sorba Thomas with the winner. Meanwhile, this brilliant display goaded them on to lift turnover at a hotly-promoted Championship duel at the Bet365 Stadium.
That game represented a massive inflection point for Stoke’s gambit, as head coach Mark Robins made six changes. Even with the injury-induced shakeup, Robins said he was confident in his squad’s ability to compete. We’ve been playing really well but that can affect confidence. That’s all part and parcel of the game and of the Championship. We’ve traveled to some stiff competition with three of those matches on the road. It’s hard when you’re losing and it’s hard when you’re losing but I think we’ve been pretty excellent,” he said after the game.
First Half Developments
Stoke began the match brightly, with Rory Delap’s long throws causing all sorts of trouble as the first half wore on. Ben Pearson opened the scoring with a stunning strike just before halftime, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead three minutes before the break. His long-range shot definitely surprised the Swansea defense and opened the flood gates for a renewed Stoke effort.
Swansea didn’t fold up, having by some accounts almost the breakout moment of the first half. As for Stoke’s keeper Viktor Johansson, he had an incredible performance. He then tumbled through the air to parry a thumping header from Cameron Burgess over the bar. Junior Tchamadeu produced a standout defensive display, denying Liam Cullen from point-blank range to preserve Stoke’s lead.
“The two goals were absolutely outstanding. I was glad Pearo shot because normally he’ll take it out of his feet and play it wide or whatever. He has doubts about himself but it’s a great effort, a really clean strike and a brilliant finish.” – Mark Robins
Second Half Action
The second half started as the first ended with Stoke piling more pressure on and it was Sorba Thomas who made it 2-0 just before the hour mark. This was Thomas’ fourth goal in just five games. He gave an incisive passing display for the opening goal, receiving a no-look assist from Bae Jun-ho, who had atoned for his under-pressure howler earlier in the first half.
Despite Stoke’s strong showing, Swansea managed to claw back some hope when Vipotnik scored in the 78th minute, converting Melker Widell’s ball to make it 2-1. The delicate second half was made far more tense by the timing of Laird’s late goal as Swansea pushed for an equalizer. After all, Stoke’s defense held firm and secured the win.
Match Reflections
Stoke’s win was incredibly important for their confidence after a poor run of results. Instead the team delivered a performance salted with resilience and grit, from their affable attacking play to bridging moments with a cohesive defensive front. With six changes to the starting lineup, Robins showed faith in his squad’s depth, ensuring that every player was prepared for the challenge.
As the final whistle blew, there was a lot for both teams to process as they contemplated their performances. Stoke will be hoping to continue from this win as they desperately need to find a rhythm in their next few games. At the same time, Swansea will rightly feel they should have done better after failing to find a killer finish when they’d threatened for much of the game.
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