Stoke secured a first home win since August as they battled for a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sunderland.
The Potters took an early lead when the returning Ryan Mmaee opened his Sky Bet Championship goal account following a summer switch from Ferencvaros.
But the hosts’ celebrations were cut short when Jack Clarke levelled soon after with his eighth league goal of the season, climbing to the top of the division’s scoring charts in the process.
The half-time instructions of Alex Neil – the former Black Cats boss – proved key as Stoke regained the lead with Luke McNally’s first goal since March 2022.
And Neil’s Sunderland successor Tony Mowbray was a frustrated figure as the visitors failed to avoid a second defeat in a row despite a late onslaught.
Stoke, who sat two points above the drop zone prior to the fixture, started brightly as they looked to return from the international break with a flourish.
And their early dominance was rewarded inside seven minutes when Mmaee – making a first appearance since August due to injury – notched the opener.
An inviting Mehdi Leris flick-on teed up the Morocco international, who finished with aplomb into the far corner for his first Championship goal.
However, the home side’s lead proved short-lived as Sunderland levelled inside four minutes, mainly thanks to a combination of industry and flair courtesy of Jobe Bellingham.
The 18-year-old won possession back before weaving through the Potters’ defence, with his venomous strike parried by Mark Travers fortuitously into the path of Clarke.
An opportunity of that nature was all too inviting for the red-hot Clarke, who obliged and tapped in to become the division’s top scorer outright.
Wouter Burger nearly followed in the footsteps of team-mate Mmaee in notching his first Stoke league goal, but his ambitious effort from range was tipped over.
And Mmaee himself nearly added a second to his tally after the half-hour mark, only for his goal-bound header to be cleared off the line.
The hosts were nearly architects of their own downfall after some calamitous defending, but the opportunistic Abdoullah Ba could only fire into the side netting.
Despite ending the half fortunate to be level, Stoke returned from the interval with the wind in their sails and a spring in their step.
And Neil’s side reassumed control of the tie when Daniel Johnson’s deep corner delivery was nodded home by on-loan Burnley defender McNally for his first Potters strike.
Mowbray attempted to ignite a Sunderland fightback with a triple change after the hour mark, and his switch nearly yielded an immediate reward.
Substitute Bradley Dack’s enticing set-piece was met by a powerful Daniel Ballard header which cannoned off the post.
The 2,590 travelling Sunderland fans tried to rouse their side with Adil Aouchiche and Clarke going closest to an equaliser, but the Black Cats’ efforts were in vain.
FC Cincinnati v St. Louis City: Noonan looking for improved performance despite Atlanta win
Despite watching his side beat Atlanta United in midweek, FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan still wants more from his side when they host St. Louis City this weekend.
Kevin Kelsy's seventh-minute strike was enough to earn Cincinnati a 1-0 win over Atlanta to make it five straight MLS victories.
Cincinnati currently sit second in the Eastern Conference, but Noonan is still demanding more from his side than Wednesday's performance.
"I wouldn't say 'negatives' but [there are] things we could have done better, and here we are with the guys keeping a clean sheet and winning the game," Noonan told reporters.
"They deserve credit and to be proud of the fact that they're still walking off the field with a win tonight."
St. Louis saw a five-game unbeaten streak end as they lost 2-0 to Los Angeles FC in midweek.
The defeat leaves St. Louis ninth in the Western Conference, though they are just three points off sixth-placed Austin FC.
Bradley Carnell is looking to get players back fit and raring to go for the visit to Cincinnati at the weekend, saying: "It's about how we manage over the next couple of days to get a solid, fit line-up for Cincinnati.
"We don't have much time to sit and dwell, and we have to be brave and positive to head to Cincinnati."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Cincinnati – Kevin Kelsy
In his first MLS start, Kelsy scored Cincinnati's lone goal on Wednesday. The 19-year-old has scored in consecutive games, making him the first teenager to score multiple MLS goals for Cincinnati, and if he gets the nod from the off again here, he will once more hope to mark it with a goal.
St. Louis City – Joao Klauss
Having netted four in his previous four games, Klauss drew a blank against LAFC as St. Louis slumped to defeat. He is clearly a key man in St. Louis' attack, and he will hope to get back among the goals this weekend, and with a win too.
MATCH PREDICTION – CINCINNATI WIN
St. Louis beat Cincinnati 5-1 in the lone previous meeting between the sides last April. The four-goal margin is Cincinnati’s largest defeat since the start of last season and equals St. Louis' largest ever margin of victory.
But St. Louis are winless in eight straight away matches in all competitions (four draws, four defeats). St. Louis have won three of their last 23 on the road after winning the first three away matches in club history.
Cincinnati have won five straight regular season matches with all five wins coming by one-goal margins, the first team to do so since the Red Bulls in 2012, and though it may be a tight game again this weekend, the hosts will fancy their chances of coming out on the right side of the result and collecting another three points.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Cincinnati: 44.3%
St. Louis: 28.2%
Draw: 27.5%
Al-Ittihad pegged back as winless run rolls on
Mohamed Sherif scored late on as Al-Ittihad's winless run in the Saudi Pro League stretched to four games after a 1-1 draw with Al-Khaleej.
Al-Ittihad have endured a miserable title defence, and with just two games remaining, the highest the big-spending, PIF-backed club can finish is fourth.
Muhannad Al Shanqiti put them ahead on the stroke of half-time, yet despite having a further eight shots and accumulating 1.07 xG in the second half, Al-Ittihad could not add another.
Their profligacy proved costly in the 81st minute, with Egypt international Sherif snatching an equaliser for 11th-placed Al-Khaleej.
Al-Tai moved out of the relegation zone with a surprise 3-1 win over seventh-placed Al-Fateh, with Bernard Mensah scoring twice.
Al-Raed, meanwhile, claimed a 1-0 win at Al-Wehda.
Data Debrief: Kante the creator?
On the day he received a surprising France recall, N'Golo Kante created three chances for Al-Ittihad, leading the team.
On the flip side, Kante only attempted one tackle, with the midfielder showing a different side to his game, not that it proved fruitful for his team.
Leeds United 4-0 Norwich City (4-0 agg): Whites book Wembley spot in emphatic fashion
Leeds United thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final to seal their place at Wembley.
After a goalless draw in the first leg left it all to play for at Elland Road on Thursday, Leeds turned on the style in front of a raucous home crowd to cruise into the final on May 26.
Ilia Gruev settled the majority of Elland Road's nerves with just seven minutes played as he caught out Angus Gunn with a long-range free-kick, curling into the space vacated by the Norwich goalkeeper's expectation of a cross.
Joel Piroe then doubled the hosts' advantage 13 minutes later, again capitalising on poor goalkeeping to beat Gunn to Wilfried Gnonto's cross and nod home.
The tie was effectively over five minutes from half-time, Georginio Rutter getting on the end of Crysencio Summerville's squared pass to rifle off the underside of the crossbar and in.
And after Gunn spilled Gnonto's low shot in the second half, Rutter cut the ball back for Summerville to poke home and secure Leeds' place in next Sunday's final, where they will meet either Southampton or West Brom.
Data debrief
Leeds may have looked pretty blunt in attack at Carrow Road, but that was far from the case on home soil as they put the Canaries to the sword in brutal fashion while keeping a 21st Championship clean sheet this season, more than any other side.
Daniel Farke's men produced 2.45 xG (expected goals) to Norwich's 0.51, while Summerville made it 20 league goals for the season, more than any other Leeds player.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
