Oxford’s impressive start to the Sky Bet Championship season continued with a well-earned 1-0 victory against Stoke at the Kassam Stadium.
The U’s edged out the Potters thanks to Idris El Mizouni’s coolly-taken strike just after half-time, a goal which sealed the hosts’ third win from three home games so far this term.
The first league meeting between these two in well over two decades saw a cagey opening spell.
The Potters showed up first, with Million Manhoef seeing a left-footed drive blocked.
Des Buckingham’s hosts soon rallied, however, and went close after 12 minutes.
Josh McEachran played a smart ball into Mark Harris, and his powerful strike was well gathered by alert goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.
Tyler Goodrham then tried his luck from distance, with Johansson again equal to the task.
It was swiftly turning into an entertaining end-to-end clash, as back came the Potters with a couple of chances of their own.
Ben Wilmot was denied by a quality save from Jamie Cumming, while Bae Jun-Ho threatened with an angled strike which fizzed narrowly over the top.
The U’s had been under some pressure, but they gained a foothold once again as the half-hour mark approached.
Siriki Dembele saw an effort blocked following a smart tee-up by the industrious Harris.
Goodrham saw a shot saved comfortably by Johansson, before the Potters’ cause was hindered somewhat when Lynden Gooch was forced off through injury.
However, the U’s were similarly hit in first-half added time when Cameron Brannagan also limped out of the action.
Newly-promoted Oxford struck the opening blow within three minutes of the restart.
The goal came at the end of an eye-catching move down the right.
Ruben Rodrigues crossed in low for El Mizouni, and he coolly side-footed home from just outside the six-yard box.
Now with their tails up, the U’s almost struck what would have been a fortunate second goal minutes later.
Dembele turned sweetly towards the edge of the Stoke box before seeing a shot divert heftily off a defender before almost looping into the far corner of the net.
Harris was then thwarted by a decent stop from Johansson, with Stoke now looking rattled.
The visitors finally gained themselves some momentum, but any end product was lacking as the game entered its final quarter.
Wouter Burger tried a shot from inside the U’s box, but it was blocked and cleared by the hosts’ well-organised defence.
It was beginning to look like it was going to be Oxford’s day, and it definitely would have been had Goodrham’s fizzing strike not been superbly saved by Johansson after 79 minutes.
The hosts went on to hang on to their slender lead comfortably as Stoke’s inconsistent start to the season continued.
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