Tom Cannon fires late winner for Stoke against Sunderland

The Irish striker netted a vital winner for the Potters this afternoon.

By: irishmirror.ie

Dec 29 2024
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Tom Cannon fires late winner f

Tom Cannon’s stoppage-time goal ended struggling Stoke’s long wait for a win in the Sky Bet Championship as they snatched a 1-0 victory over promotion-chasing Sunderland.

The Potters were under the caretaker charge of Ryan Shawcross after sacking Narcis Pelach on Friday, and the club great wildly celebrated what was Stoke’s first win in 10 games.

It lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone and it came following a superb performance in goal by Viktor Johansson, who produced a series of fine saves to thwart the visitors.

Stoke had the game’s first big chance in the 11th minute when Bae Junho played the ball through for Cannon, with Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson saving before Luke O’Nien cleared the danger.

Another good chance for Cannon followed when he did well to get away from Chris Mepham, but a heavy touch allowed Patterson to beat the Leicester loanee to the ball.

Sunderland almost caught the home side on the break after 29 minutes when Milan Aleksic galloped towards the area before his shot was kept out by Johansson.

The visitors were growing as a threat and Johansson was soon called into action again when he had to beat away Adil Aouchiche’s powerful effort from outside the box.

The Sweden international, who was captaining the Potters, then came to their rescue again in the 34th minute when he touched Wilson Isidor’s shot onto the post.

Sunderland were now piling on the pressure and were denied by Johansson yet again when a piledriver from Dan Neil was brilliantly tipped away.

His heroics kept the game goalless at half-time and it was his opposite number’s turn to impress again in the 62nd minute when Patterson stood strong in beating away a shot by Lewis Koumas, who had ran on to Cannon’s knock-down.

Back came Sunderland, who were almost handed the lead when Aouchiche’s low cross was deflected on to the outside of his own post by Stoke centre-back Ashley Phillips.

Eliezer Mayenda then should have put the Black Cats ahead in thew 73rd minute when Aouchiche’s cross found him unmarked six yards out, but the Spaniard put his header well wide.

Johansson was not kept as busy as he was in the first half, but he was required to make another important save as he kept out a shot from Aouchiche at his near post with seven minutes remaining.

Just when it looked as though the two teams would be settling for a point each, Cannon won it for Stoke at the death when he battled for possession before firing into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

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