Report | Stoke City 2 Swansea City 1
Swansea City’s poor record at the bet365 Stadium was extended as a brave late fightback fell short at Stoke City.
Vitor Matos’ side had the better of the opening half in the Potteries with Zan Vipotnik and Cameron Burgess having their best chances.
But Ben Pearson’s stunning strike just before the break gave the home side a lead they would not relinquish, with Sorba Thomas doubling their lead early in the second half.
Vipotnik slotted home his 10th goal of the season to give the visitors hope, and they had a period of sustained pressure in the closing stages, but they could not find a leveller to leave Swansea with one win from their last 15 visits to this ground.
The scoreline felt slightly harsh on the visitors, particularly on the back of how they played during the first half.
The Swans had shown two changes from the win over Portsmouth as Liam Cullen and Zan Vipotnik came in for Melker Widell and Adam Idah respectively.
There was also a notable milestone for captain Ben Cabango, as he made his 250th Swansea appearance.
Both sides started with plenty of energy, Robert Bozenik forced a save from Lawrence Vigouroux and then nearly beat the offside trap, before the Swans swept upfield where Cullen found Vipotnik, but the Slovenian’s heavy first touch allowed Viktor Johansson to gather.
Stoke had a great chance to take the lead nine minutes in when clever play between Sorba Thomas and Million Manhoef allowed the Potters to drive into the area and pull-back for Ben Wilmot, but the former Swan steered wastefully wide of the goal.
At the other end, Vipotnik was agonisignly close to finding the net after Josh Tymon’s delivery had picked him out arriving at the far post.
The Slovenian then failed to convert a gilt-edged chance when his run in behind and link with Cullen sent him through on goal, but his low shot was comfortably saved by Johansson.
The better chances continued to come Swansea’s way, and Burgess saw Johansson make a diving stop to keep out his header from a Tymon corner, with Cullen’s follow-up effort being blocked.
Stoke saw Bozenik head over from a superb Eric Bocat cross but they then took the lead with a stunning strike three minutes before the break.
A loose pass allowed the Potters to move into space and, when the ball rolled to Pearson 25 yards out, he rifled a curling strike across Vigouroux and into the top corner.
Bae Junho could have doubled their lead early in the second half but sent a header well over the bar from an inviting cross.
Swansea responded Marko Stamenic knitting together a smart attack that ended with the New Zealand international firing a low cross beyond the keeper, but there was no-one there to turn home.
Matos sent on Zeidane Inoussa and Josh Key – the latter making his 100th Swansea appearance – for Ronald and Stamenic, but almost as soon as they came on Stoke doubled their lead.
Bae drove forward and his clever cross was met by Thomas, who calmly steered the ball low into the net.
Vigouroux denied Manhoef as Stoke threatened to further extend their lead, while Inoussa nearly pulled a goal back after cutting inside to fire away a low shot that Johansson parried a little unconvincingly.
Widell and Malick Yalcouye were introduced for the final 20 minutes and it was Widell who helped them grab a lifeline in the game when his wonderful pass allowed Vipotnik to arrive in stride to fire home his 10th goal of the season.
Swansea pressed for a leveller with Inoussa proving a particular nuisance on the right.
Ethan Galbraith had a thunderous shot blocked before Johansson did superbly to prevent Idah having the chance to turn in Inoussa's driven cross as Swansea's late pressure could not quite deliver a point on the road.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Ethan Galbraith, Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Josh Tymon; Marko Stamenic (Josh Key 58), Goncalo Franco (Adam Idah 83), Liam Cullen (Malick Yalcouye 71); Ronald (Zeidane Inoussa 58), Jisung Eom (Melker Widell 71), Žan Vipotnik.
Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jay Fulton, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kaelan Casey, Adam Idah.
Stoke City: Viktor Johansson, Ben Pearson (Steven Nzonzi 82), Sorba Thomas, Bae Junho, Robert Bozenik (Sam Gallagher 72), Tatsuki Seko (Bosun Lawal 82), Ben Wilmot (captain), Eric Bocat, Junior Tchamadeu, Ashley Phillips, Million Manhoef.
Substitutes: Jack Bonham, Aaron Cresswell, Divin Mubama, Tomas Rigo, Sam Gallagher, Lamine Cisse, Maksym Talovierov.
Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo
Attendance: 23,089