Stoke defeat Swansea

Sport
Substitute Jonathan Walters struck the winner as Stoke came from behind to defeat Swansea and claim just their second home league win this season.

Substitute Jonathan Walters struck the winner as Stoke came from behind to defeat Swansea and claim just their second home league win this season.

The visitors, dominant in the first half, went ahead through a Wilfried Bony penalty after Ryan Shawcross was penalised for a foul on the Ivorian.

Stoke levelled through a Charlie Adam penalty as Angel Rangel was harshly judged to have fouled Victor Moses.

Walters’ impact was immediate, heading home Oussama Assaidi’s cross.

It is a victory which will ease the fears of those who worried about Stoke’s home form this season.

Both Aston Villa and Leicester had already won at the Britannia Stadium during an indifferent start to the campaign for Mark Hughes’ men, and Swansea’s bright start to yesterday’s match suggested another visiting team could leave the Potteries with three points.

But thanks to a little fortune with the Adam penalty, and the impact of second-half substitutes Walters and Assaidi, Stoke regrouped after the break to secure back-to-back league victories.

Swansea, who are now without a win in five league games, will be frustrated at not having made the most of their first-half dominance and disappointed that Stoke were awarded a penalty.

The visitors created two great chances – influential duo Gylfi Sigurdsson and Ki Sung-Yueng forcing Asmir Begovic into action – before they were awarded a penalty themselves.

As the players prepared for a corner, Shawcross needlessly pulled down Bony inside and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.

Bony’s composed finish further added to Shawcross’ woe as no player has conceded more penalties in the Premier League since the 2008/09 season than the Stoke defender, whose unwanted tally stands at seven.

Fortunately for Shawcross, referee Oliver helped level matters by harshly penalising Rangel for what he believed was a foul on Moses just before the break.

– BBC Sport