West Brom continued their good form as they produced one of the most comfortable football scores of the weekend in the Championship. Following Kyle Bartley’s second goal in as many games to give the Baggies the lead, Thomas-Asante scored Albion’s second with an incredible overhead kick that brought to mind Wayne Rooney’s goal in the 2011 Manchester derby. For the first time since August 2021, West Brom won three straight games, kept three clean sheets, and went 337 minutes without allowing a goal. With Bartley hitting the crossbar, John Swift squandering two opportunities, and Harry Clarke nearly scoring an own goal, the final score might have been more decisive.
After only 29 seconds, West Brom had established their dominance and made their intentions clear. Following a deflected cross from Jed Wallace that went into his way, Swift’s low strike from 15 yards was cleared off the line by Clarke. Lewis Baker, the captain of Stoke, retaliated with a curling attempt that just missed the target after hitting a defender. Nick Powell’s injury and subsequent replacement by Dwight Gayle after 22 minutes compelled Stoke to make an early substitution. The home crowd booed and cheered the former Newcastle striker, who scored 24 goals while on loan at Albion in 2018–19.
West Brom finally scored the goal they had been threatening in the 39th minute. After Swift’s corner had been headed by Phil Jagielka, it was Bartley once more who sent a header into the roof of the net. Five minutes after the restart, Albion extended their advantage, making things even worse for the visitors. After Jagielka flicked Darnell Furlong’s cross into the air, Thomas-Asante produced a goal to remember with an acrobatic overhead kick from just inside the area that ripped into the far top corner of the net. In the 67th minute, Stoke had their first shot at goal, but Liam Delap’s low effort was simple for Alex Palmer, who later tipped over a curling, 18-yard shot from Baker.
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