Stoke v Swansea

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Swansea v Stoke, Saturday 7 March, 15:00
Saturday Stoke at home, Tuesday Portsmouth away, Friday Wrexham away.
Another batch of tough games, three in six days this time.
First up Stoke and a familiar face in charge, Mark Robins, ex-Coventry City boss.
We lost the reverse fixture 2-1 on 13 Dec, danger man, winger Sorba Thomas scoring the winner, Stoke having lost five of their previous six matches.
Since that match Stoke’s form has been indifferent PL13 W3 D5 L5 F10 A12.
Swans come in off the back of a resounding defeat at Ipswich, poor defending against their wingers responsible for the three goals conceded.
Let’s hope they’ve got that demoralising defeat out of their system in training this week and are ready to go again.

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Vitor Matos pre-match Press Conference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=_pcH9kdQSNU&feature=youtu.be

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Today’s line up

Swans: Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Key, Ben Cabango (c), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon, Marko Stamenic, Goncalo Franco, Ethan Galbraith, Ronald, Jisung Eom, Zan Vipotnik
Subs: Andy Fisher, Jay Fulton, Melker Widell, Malick Yalcouye, Gustavo Nunes, Liam Cullen, Leo Walta, Joel Ward, Ollie Cooper

Stoke: Tommy Simkin, Sorba Thomas, Bae Jun-ho, Tatsuki Seko, Steven Nzonzi, Ben Wilmot (c), Eric Bocat, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Ben Gibson, Ashley Phillips, Lamine Cisse
Subs: Frank Fielding, Ben Pearson, Tomas Rigo, Junior Tchamadeu, Maxi Talovierov, Million Manhoef, Milan Smit, Raphael-Pijus Otegbayo, Gabriel Kelly

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Swansea 2 (Vipotnik 53’, Cullen 92’) - Stoke 0
Pretty even until Sorba Thomas got sent off. Even with ten men Stoke were a tough nut to crack. Two banks of four and a lone striker and relied on breakaways.
Vipotnik broke the deadlock flicking his header over the goalkeeper from a Tymon corner.
It wasn’t until added time that we managed a second goal, worth the wait though with Cullen lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper Simkin from the half way line.
Swans 23 shots on goal, 4 on target. Unbeaten in last 10 home games with 8 wins and 2 draws.

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Match highlights

https://www.skysports.com/football/video/26947/13516551/swansea-2-0-stoke-championship-highlights

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A massive step

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC5A8XwBaBU

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Match report

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/report-swansea-city-2-stoke-city-0-0

[Estoban]

Extended highlights link here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhj3fhEuEYg

[Estoban]

Two great goals but Cullen’s one was spectacular and is goal of the weekend on the EFL website.
Danger man and their leading scorer, left winger Sorba Thomas was sent off after 36 minutes for persistent fouling with two yellow cards.
After that it was a defensive block from Stoke that the Swans found hard to penetrate but we eventually cracked it with those impressive goals.

[Estoban]

Matos salutes Cullens ‘worldie’ goal

https://www.swanseacity.com/news/vitor-matos-salutes-beautiful-clinching-goal-liam-cullen

[Iolo]

Well boys three more points in the bag with that result adding to our impressive home form under Matos, 8 wins and 2 draws from the last ten games, promotion form.
Unfortunately our away form is the complete opposite and is stopping us making a play-off challenge. Matos can’t seem to get a handle on it yet. Sort that out and we’ll be some force to reckon with.
With two away games coming up, will we see a change of tactics and will he be tempted to rotate the squad