Tom Cannon scored four goals as Stoke thrashed Portsmouth 6-1 to give new boss Narcis Pelach an emphatic first Championship win as Potters boss.
The on-loan Leicester striker had not previously scored in the league since his double for the Foxes on New Year’s Day.
But he netted his first two goals for the club and Sam Gallagher also opened his account as City led 3-1 at half-time.
And, as City went goal crazy with five in a 10-minute spell either side of the break, he added two more, including a contentious 48th-minute penalty.
Brighton loanee Andrew Moran also got in the act with Stoke’s sixth after Moran’s Seagulls’ teammate Mark O’Mahoney equalised for John Mousinho’s side after 29 minutes.
Portsmouth’s defeat set an unwanted post-war record of eight league games without a win at the start of a new campaign.
Stoke had only scored four goals in their previous seven Championship outings but went close twice inside 30 seconds of kick-off.
Ben Wilmot cracked a left-footed shot against the crossbar while Will Norris blocked Enda Stevens’ follow-up.
Stoke continued to set the pace with Cannon shooting narrowly wide and Gallagher steering a shot into the side netting.
And it was no surprise when Cannon fired City in front after 13 minutes. Marlon Pack was penalised for fouling Gallagher and the 21-year-old Irishman curled in the resulting free-kick past Norris.
The Pompey goalie played a big role in his side’s equaliser in the 29th minute. His quick throw freed Jacob Murphy whose rapid run and burst through Lewis Koumas and Stevens saw him tee-up O’Mahoney.
That was as good as it got for Pompey. Two minutes before half-time Gallagher’s pass played in Cannon to shoot left footed beyond Norris.
Stoke were only warming up and Moran seized on Norris’ dismal pass before assisting for ex-Blackburn striker Gallagher to rocket home from 20 yards.
Norris’ nightmare night continued when he was adjudged to have fouled Cannon, though referee Tom Nield initially appeared to signal in favour of the visitors.
Cannon dusted himself down and fired his spot-kick beyond the shell shocked Norris.
Three minutes later Cannon became the first Stoke player for 24 years to register four goals in a game with an angled left-foot shot.
There was one more moment of celebration for the home fans as Bae Jun-ho picked out Moran to finish in the 53rd minute as Stoke hit six for the first time since blitzing Liverpool in the Premier League nine years ago.
[(Racing Club de Avellaneda) Strength]: 1. Racing Club de Avellaneda lost their first encounter 0-1, so they cannot afford any loss this time and must go all out to win, fully motivated.2. In the last domestic league game, Adrian Balboa performed well and scored the first goal to put the team ahead.3. Racing Club de Avellaneda scored 5 goals and conceded 5 in the last 5 games with good performance...
[(Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) Strength]: 1. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors performed stably across all competitions this season. Since April, the team have remained unbeaten in the last 20 matches.2. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors scored at halftime in 4 consecutive games, getting into form quickly on offense.3. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors scored at least 2 goals per game in 5 consecutive matches, showing strong attack.4....
[(Velez Sarsfield) Strength]: 1. During their first encounter, Velez Sarsfield played a goalless draw. In this home game, they vow to grab a win and advance, with full motivation.2. Braian Romero withstood the pressure in the last game and scored a penalty in the final moment, helping the team seal a last-gasp victory.3. Velez Sarsfield defeated Club Atletico Independiente 2-1 in the last game, wh...
[(Ferencvaros) Strength]: 1. Ferencvaros are motivated to win this home game and take the lead in advancing.2. Cadu scored a goal in the last game, once helping the team tie the game.3. Ferencvaros received 3 wins and 1 loss in the last 4 home games, revealing outstanding home performances.4. Ferencvaros scored 11 goals and conceded 3 in the last 5 games, boasting excellent attack and solid defens...
[(Gwangju FC) Strength]: 1. The first leg of the Semi-finals will see Gwangju FC play at home first. They hope to grab the advantage, with full motivation.2. Gwangju FC forward Reis scored twice in the last game, being in good form.3. Gwangju FC performed well and scored a 2-0 win over Daejeon Hana Citizen in hte last game, thus getting back on the winning ways.4. AH market provided home team a -1...
[(FC Machida Zelvia) Strength]: 1. In the last league game, Korean internationals Oh Se Hun and Na Sang Ho both scored in open play, showing decent performances.2. This game is FC Machida Zelvia's fourth consecutive home game, which is in favor of them.3. FC Machida Zelvia won 3-0 over Cerezo Osaka in the last league game, securing a 10-game winning streak across all competitions.4. FC Machida Zel...
[(Crvena Zvezda) Strength]: 1. Crvena Zvezda vow to win this home game in order to grab the advancing advantage, with full motivation.2. Aleksandar Katai performed very well in the last domestic league game. He scored a hat-trick in a win for the team.3. Crvena Zvezda defeated Mladost Lucani 4-1 in the last domestic league game. They achieved 7 wins and 1 draw in the last 8 games, being in red-hot...
[(Sao Paulo FC) Strength]: 1. Sao Paulo FC drew with Atletico Nacional in the first leg on the road. They will advance to the next round if they win this round at home, indicating full motivation to win.2. Sao Paulo FC signed Serie A team Atalanta BC captain Rafael Toloi recently. He is expected to make his debut in this match.3. Sao Paulo FC drew 2-2 with Sport Club do Recife in the last league g...
[(Chengdu Rongcheng FC) Strength]: 1. Chengdu Rongcheng FC drew 0-0 with Qingdao Hainiu F.C. in the last Chinese Super League, ending their winning streak. However, the team were unbeaten with 5 wins and 1 draw in the last 6 games, showing commendable performances.2. Chengdu Rongcheng FC scored 12 goals in the last 5 home games, revealing outstanding attack at home.3. Chengdu Rongcheng FC are now ...
[(Sanfrecce Hiroshima) Strength]: 1. Sanfrecce Hiroshima have achieved 14 wins, 4 draws and 8 losses in the league so far this season. They have scored 30 goals and conceded 18 goals in 26 league matches, and currently rank 5th in the league standings. The team will play at home in this game and have a strong desire to win.2. Naoto Arai, the main defender of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, has performed stea...
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