A first-half goal from Giannelli Imbula and second-half strikes from Ibrahim Afellay and Joselu were enough to secure the visitors all three points and move them up to ninth in the league table. But last weekend Bournemouth struggled offensively, Afobe, Ritchie, Arter, Pugh were all guilty of misses but the team didnt create many one on ones.
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French midfielder Giannelli Imbula fired Stoke ahead after nine minutes with a rasping 25-metre volley, his first goal for the club since his big-money arrival on transfer deadline day.
Bournemouth started much the brighter side and could count themselves unlucky to find themselves a goal down soon in the game. There was a tense end to the game as Bournemouth desperately tried to get back into it and referee Graham Scott handed out a number of yellow cards to both sides. Bournemouth come into the game with only three wins in 12 home games.
The Cherries are now five points above the drop zone after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal, but will fancy their chances of picking up points against Mark Hughes’ out of form side.
A wonderful breakaway saw Walters cut inside from the right and feed Afellay on the edge of the box, with the Dutchman producing a smart finish on 52 minutes, before substitute Joselu rose highest to head home Shaqiri’s teasing cross. His first-half goal sent Bournemouth’s defence to pieces which they did not fully recover from.
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Marc Muniesa was also forced off with a hamstring complaint to add to Stoke’s defensive injury woes, but Hughes instead opted to focus on the obvious positives of halting a run of three straight Premier League defeats. We’ll go there and make sure we’re hard to beat again.
