SAM’S THE MAN IN CUP TRIUMPH!
MATCH REPORT AND REACTION AS CITY REACH LAST EIGHT
STOKE City are through to the Carabao Cup quarterfinals thanks to a goal from Sam Vokes, their sixth clean sheet in seven games and a superb team performance at Aston Villa.
Michael O’neill has claimed his second Premier League scalp of the competition, following up a fine win at Wolves with another textbook away performance at Villa Park.
Vokes made the breakthrough in the 26th minute when he planted a header on Jordan Thompson’s corner - and he came closest to adding a second which would have made the evening more comfortable.
But on the first count, four of Stoke’s five frontline strikers are now off the mark for the campaign and competition is fierce to start against Birmingham in the Championship on Sunday.
On the second count, that didn’t matter, not with the way Stoke are defending.
Villa, as expected, moved up a gear as the game went on and Stoke were forced deeper.
But Stoke were prepared to defend doggedly - led by Nathan Collins, Harry Souttar and Bruno Martins Indi – and when that rearguard was broken, Adam Davies was in brilliant form yet again as he continues his remarkable turnaround since taking the gloves in July.
The quarter-final will take place on December 22 or 23
– filling up Stoke’s midweek calendar all the way up to Christmas outside of international breaks. When they’re playing like this, noone will complain.
O’neill made eight changes as he mixed up the selections he had been keeping separate for league and cup pre-preston. Or, perhaps, pre-bristol City, a game, performance and result that forced his hand and opened the door for some of those who had impressed against Wolves and Gillingham.
It was a chance for Josh Tymon at left wing-back and Jacob Brown on the opposite side, while John Obi Mikel was brought into a midfield pair with Thompson and Nick Powell and Tyrese Campbell flanking Vokes up front.
Martins Indi, who had produced a star turn at Molineux, was back in the back line as captain. Again, put him in that armband and he was a constant voice, directing as much as he could on and off the ball.
Throughout it was as if he had Nathan Collins on a string with calls of, “Help him out Nathan!” or “Quick Nathan, to JT!”
They defended with discipline and, at times, numbers early on, with only Henri Lansbury having a sniff – heading over from close range.
And they looked a pretty cohesive unit going forward too, with Brown and Campbell linking up on the right and Powell a threat in a higher role.
Vokes was a ready target and he’d already had one header just wide by the time he made the breakthrough. Stoke won a corner through a terrific point-blank save from Jed Steer, stopping a blaster from Powell, who had been set up by a clever low ball from Brown.
Thompson clipped a cross to the near post for Vokes to send a header crashing into the roof of the net for his first of the season.
Vokes tried a more ambitious header from 20 yards after Martins Indi had found him from deep and Stoke hunted for a second. Tymon showed a good touch and cool head wide before slotting a long, low pass to try to release Campbell in behind, but it didn’t quite come off.
Campbell should have done better, too – or at least we have come to expect better – after he had danced his way through the area only to hook his shot over.
But Villa probably should have been level when Anwar El Ghazi crossed from the right for the onrushing Keinan Davis, but he slid in only to knock a shot wide.
Campbell had a sighter to put Stoke firmly in demand in the opening couple of minutes of the second half when Tymon kept his cool to pick him out, low running into the area – but he couldn’t beat the defender.
The rebound fell invitingly for Brown on the edge of the box but his effort landed half way up the stand behind the goal.
Then Tymon, again, dug out a back post cross for Vokes to head across goal and wide.
Adam Davies was there when needed, beating Davis in a sprint race to a hopeful ball behind, then setting up a counter attack which got Stoke into the Villa box – only for Brown not to be able to supply the final touch.
A final touch was missing at the other end as well from El Ghazi when Davis sent in a decent cross from the right.
Villa kept up the pressure and Davies had to make two fine saves to keep the lead.
First he stopped El Ghazi, who made himself a decent opening by waltzing through the area.
Then, even better, he was flying to his left to tip over
a shot from Ollie Watkins moments after Watkins had come off the substitutes’ bench.
Villa threw everything forward, including Steer,
who was a virtual striker in the last couple of minutes. But shot after shot was blocked and Stoke, of the Championship, are through to the last eight.