Hull 0-2 Stoke: Xherdan Shaqiri's double helps Stoke past toothless hosts

By Tom Bennett

Saturday 22 October 2016 17:36, UK

Xherdan Shaqiri scored two sensational goals to help Stoke City to a 2-0 win at Hull City.

Stoke opened the scoring on 26 minutes when Shaqiri was given too much space to cut inside on to his left foot, punishing the hosts with a wonderful strike that curled into the top corner.

The Potters continued to dominate after taking the lead and could have gone further ahead, with Marko Arnautovic and Joe Allen both threatening, but an impotent Hull managed to restrict the lead to just a single goal by half-time.

However, it took just five minutes of the second half for Stoke to double their lead, as Shaqiri curved a sumptuous free-kick over the wall and into the bottom corner of David Marshall's net.

A tactical switch from Hull saw them gain a foothold in the game after the hour mark, but it was too little, too late and Stoke left the KCOM Stadium with all three points.

Stoke went into the game unbeaten in three matches and looking for a second win of the season to lift them out of the relegation zone. However, manager Mark Hughes would have been surprised by the ease with which his visitors took control, with Shaqiri heavily involved from the outset.

For all of Stoke's attractive play, however, chances had been at a premium until the 26th minute, when the ball was worked to Shaqiri on the right. Given too much time and space to cut inside by the Hull midfielder, the Switzerland international needed no second invitation to pull the trigger, unleashing a world-class strike to beat Marshall.

Hull were again at fault with the second, failing to clear their lines after dispossessing Allen and giving away a free-kick in a dangerous area. And with Shaqiri in such sparkling form, it seemed almost destined to be a second as he strode up to whip the set-piece beyond a helpless Marshall.

Arnautovic could have had two goals of his own, but was twice denied by the Hull goalkeeper, although the visitors did begin to threaten after the introduction of Abel Hernandez and a switch to a back-three.

Even a melee after the final whistle that led to a yellow card for Shaqiri could not ruin the diminutive playmaker's afternoon, who produced one of his best performances for Stoke to help the club reach their 100th win in the Premier League.

The result also sees Stoke move out of the bottom three, leapfrogging Hull in the process.