Stoke (1) 2 Villa 0 – 24/7/21 3pm
Two goals at the start of each half sank Premier League’s Aston Villa. Fletch’s 3rd minute header was good, but Vrancic’s 49th minute drive into the top-corner was awesome. For the Stoke fans who didn’t bother to attend, you missed a cracking game and a cracking goal. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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It’s almost SEVENTEEN months since we’ve been inside the bet365 to see Stoke City’s first team. Here we have several players who’ll be making their home-crowd debut for Stoke. Some fans will have seen this starting line-up (this time Joe Bursik starts in goal rather than Adam Davies) when Stoke City beat Crewe 3-2 in midweek. Mario Vrancic and Ben Wilmot looked really impressive in. A brilliant first half when City took a 3-0 lead. Here the away end is packed, but the home stands look alarmingly empty… What does that tell us?
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2.53 1-0 !!!! Looping cross from the right from Tom Smith is headed into the near corner by Steven Fletcher over the keeper who’s stuck in no-man’s land, and Stoke lead!!!
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17.15 Joe Bursik caught just like Davies was at Crewe, but saves the subsequent shot, which cannons off the post. Stoke living dangerously.
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45+1 HT Stoke 1 Villa 0 – Well matched sides, but Stoke lead in front of this large Villa crowd…
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48.54 2-0 !!! Mario Vrancic strides forward and hits a screamer into the top corner!!! WOW!!!
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57.15 Stoke continue to attack with Fletcher just failing to get his head to another decent cross.
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59.00 Uh oh! Villa are changing their WHOLE TEAM!!!! No really!!
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66.20 Red card for Wesley who appeared to tap heads with Nick Powell after Powell had won a free kick!!
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70.00 Stoke replace Fox, Vrancic, Allen, Powell and Alfie with Chester, Clucas, Tymon, Thompson and Adam Porter. See how Stoke play with 3 at back and a completely changed midfield.
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78.35 Great shot by Josh Tymon requiring Villa keeper to actually do something.
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84.53 Point blank save by Joe Bursik from a corner. 5 minutes left to see if Stoke can keep a clean sheet!
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87.08 Will Goodwin replaces Fletcher.
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87.52 Josh Tymon hits another rocket, but straight at the keeper this time. Who taught him to shoot??
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90.00 FT Stoke 2 Villa 0 – City looking like a force for good!