Stoke City secured an important victory, marking their second win under Narcís Pelach, after a tough stretch in the season across recent fixtures, including the EFL Championship and the Carabao Cup, where they were unfortunately eliminated after a hard-fought match against Southampton just a few days ago.
Pelach’s work in this game was a key factor, as Stoke City came out as a highly competitive team in their matchup against Derby County for the 13th round of the EFL Championship. The win brings renewed optimism among fans, who supported the team with great enthusiasm at the Bet365 Stadium, helping them claim three essential points in the league standings. This victory allows Stoke City to climb a few positions, now drawing close to Derby County, whom they just defeated 2-1.
READ MORE: Narcís Pelach Talks About the Upcoming Match Against Derby County in the Championship
A Positive Performance for Narcís Pelach’s Squad
Stoke City took the field with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a notable surprise as Tatsuki Seko, a summer signing, made his first start for the team. Pelach’s trust in the Korean midfielder paid off, as Seko excelled in the defensive midfield role alongside Wouter Burger, both contributing solidly in defense.
Offensively, Tom Cannon once again proved decisive by scoring in the early stages of the match. In the 9th minute, after a penalty was awarded to Stoke City, Cannon confidently converted, giving the team a strong start and controlling the ball throughout the first half, creating significant opportunities. Stoke City led 1-0 going into halftime.
In the second half, Derby County made two key substitutions to try to turn the game around. In the 68th minute, however, a misfortunate incident resulted in an own goal by Stoke City’s goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, bringing the score to 1-1.
Stoke City, determined to secure the victory, continued to press forward, and in the 82nd minute, captain Ben Gibson scored the game-winning goal, assisted by a brilliant pass from Bae Jun-Ho. This late goal put Stoke City back in the lead at 2-1, securing the win with only a few minutes remaining in the match. Stoke City celebrated a well-deserved victory, claiming three vital points in the EFL Championship. This match provided promising signs for Pelach’s squad, who showed resilience after their recent Carabao Cup loss to Southampton.