In an EFL Championship match between Stoke City and Portsmouth, we witnessed an exciting and goal-filled encounter. Narcís Pelach demonstrated the potential of Stoke City with a great tactical approach and excellent work behind each player.
This is exactly what was expected from his arrival: to build a fantastic project that promotes the younger players while consolidating a competitive squad for the 2024-2025 season. Leaders on the field are needed, and today, one such leader was the prolific scorer Tom Cannon.
READ MORE: Stoke City Lineup Confirmed to Face Portsmouth
A Perfect Match for Stoke City in the EFL Championship
As the game unfolded, Narcís Pelach sent out his eleven Stoke City players with a clear mission: to break their three-match losing streak in the EFL Championship.
He set up the team in a brilliant 4-2-3-1 formation, ready to compete at the highest level at the Bet365 Stadium. The team came out determined to show the fans what they were capable of. The action started quickly, with Tom Cannon scoring the opening goal in the 13th minute—a perfect start for Stoke City.
Six of the best for Pèlach's Potters. pic.twitter.com/ILkk4YNIVi
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) October 2, 2024
However, Portsmouth struck back in the 29th minute with a goal from Mark O'Mahony, bringing the score to 1-1. Despite this setback, Stoke City remained aggressive in attack, with Tom Cannon scoring his second goal of the match in the 43rd minute. Moments later, Sam Gallagher found the net to make it 3-1, giving The Potters a solid lead heading into halftime.
The second half saw Stoke City continue their dominant play, with Narcís Pelach making no substitutions at the break, confident in his squad’s performance. In the 48th minute, Stoke City was awarded a penalty, and Tom Cannon stepped up to score his hat-trick goal, making it 4-1. Just three minutes later, Cannon struck again, taking his tally to four goals in the match and pushing Stoke City further ahead with a 5-1 lead.
The final goal of the match came from Andrew Moran, who netted in the 53rd minute to make it 6-1. Despite controlling possession and creating more chances, Stoke City would not add any more goals. The match ended as a nearly flawless performance for Narcís Pelach's side, marking a fantastic victory for Stoke City.