A determined West Brom side secured a hard-fought victory on the road, ending Stoke City’s flawless opening to the season. The crucial goal came from Nat Phillips in the first half, sealing a 1-0 win for the visitors.
Despite entering the match having recently lost two key players and with their manager serving a touchline suspension, West Brom delivered a resilient performance. The team demonstrated significant character to overcome these setbacks and claim all three points.
The match’s decisive moment arrived early. Following a corner kick that the Stoke goalkeeper failed to deal with decisively, Phillips was on hand to calmly slot the loose ball into the net.
West Brom controlled large portions of the game, with their attacking play down the left flank causing persistent problems for the home defence. While Stoke threatened occasionally on the counter-attack, the visitors’ defence held firm, limiting clear opportunities.
In the latter stages, West Brom managed the game effectively, showing discipline to protect their narrow lead and see out the victory. The result maintains their own unbeaten start to the campaign under their new management.
Reflecting on the loss, the Stoke manager acknowledged the effort of the opposition but pointed to fatigue and a lack of discipline in possession as factors in his team’s defeat. He emphasized the need for continued improvement despite the promising start to the season now being over.
