Stoke City vs Leeds United. Sky Bet Championship.
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Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City and Leeds United at the bet365 Stadium on Wednesday night | Patrick Bamford misses penalty before Pascal Struijk's own goal hands the Potters all three points
Wednesday 25 October 2023 23:28, UK
Patrick Bamford's penalty miss proved costly as Leeds saw their three-match winning run in the Championship end with a 1-0 defeat at Stoke.
Whites substitute Bamford could have put the Yorkshire side ahead at the bet365 Stadium in the 75th minute but fired over from the spot.
And minutes later at the other end, Wesley's header clipped the bottom of the crossbar and went in off Leeds captain Pascal Struijk for what proved to be the winner.
Daniel Farke's side came into the encounter with a 100 per cent record in October, while Alex Neil's Potters were aiming for successive victories after Saturday's home triumph against Sunderland.
The Potters had first sight of goal in the opening minute when Andre Vidigal swept in a low shot after meeting Ki-Jana Hoever's cross but it was straight at Illan Meslier.
Vidigal nearly turned creator in the fifth minute as Ryan Mmaee tested Meslier as Stoke's bright start continued.
Aside from a misplaced Jordan Thompson pass which they could not capitalise upon, Leeds had very little joy in the final third in the opening stages.
Hoever's fantastic work on the right led to a dangerous cross for Vidigal but Meslier was once again in the right place, while Mmaee curled over shortly after as Stoke's onslaught showed no sign of stopping.
Leeds' first real chance came when Georginio Rutter released Joel Piroe into the box and Mark Travers denied the 26th-minute effort with his legs, before claiming Rutter's header from the resulting corner.
Stoke's penalty appeal was waved away by referee Paul Tierney when Mehdi Leris turned and went down under Sam Byram's challenge on the half-hour.
Mmaee's endeavour in the box nearly forced an opener in first half stoppage time and Struijk was alert to clear the danger as the ball trickled towards goal.
After the break, Joe Rodon was in the right place to cut out Hoever's low cross from the right as Stoke continued to threaten, though Jaidon Anthony cut into the box at the other end and curled wide.
Travers was equal to Rutter's low drive before the hour as Leeds grew in confidence, the Whites striker later firing wide after darting into the box.
Leeds substitute Crysencio Summerville's first act was to curl a promising effort just wide after 70 minutes.
Bamford won a penalty 15 minutes from time when Ben Pearson brought him down in the box and referee Tierney pointed to the spot, but the striker blasted it over the bar.
And it proved costly as from an 80th minute Hoever corner, Wesley headed against the bar and the ball went in off the unfortunate Struijk for what proved to be the winner.
Stoke's Alex Neil:
"When you go and deliver against two of the better teams in the division and you get six points off the back of it, and you can see how much the lads have put in, I think it breeds confidence in everything we're doing and that belief is massive. I thought there was good spells in the first half where we used the ball really well, I thought there was a 20 to 25 minute spell where we were really on top and probably had two or three good opportunities, but we didn't really take any of them.
"I think we got a let-off with the penalty, that was the one moment that rode in our favour and then we go up the other end, and I thought the fans completely blew the roof off once the penalty was missed, you could see our players get a bit of energy from that, and we went on and won the game."
Leeds' Daniel Farke:
"You have to be clinical in using your chances and today we missed the biggest chance with the penalty and then you could feel for one or two moments a bit disappointed and the whole stadium was buzzing because we missed the penalty. They used this in order to create one or two set-pieces and out of the second they were able to score.
"This is football - we didn't give one chance out of the game away in the second half, but because we missed this penalty and didn't put the game to bed, we were for this one moment not switched on and they were able to use this chance and once they were in the lead with just 10 minutes to go, they tried everything, put their bodies on the line to block every shot. It's the Championship, it's relentless, so congratulations to Stoke and a hard-fought win but I also get the feeling you should travel away with points."
