City stunned as Diouf gives Stoke shock win
August 30, 2014
Manuel Pellegrini´s team were beaten on home turf for the first time in the league since February thanks to Diouf´s fine solo run and a poor piece of goalkeeping from City´s Joe Hart in the second half at Eastlands.
Diouf is a former Manchester United player who failed to make the grade at Old Trafford, but he returned to Manchester in style, netting Stoke´s first goal at City in seven visits in the Premier League era to give Potters boss Mark Hughes a sweet victory over the club that sacked him in 2009.
The 26-year-old, brought to England by Alex Ferguson in 2009 but limited to a handful of substitute appearances in his time with United, collected a headed clearance from a corner midway inside his own half and set off towards the City goal.
Showing eye-catching pace, Diouf proved too quick for Aleksandar Kolarov and easily beat Fernandinho´s mistimed challenge before arriving in the area and hitting the ball, low and right-footed, through the legs of Hart, who will feel he could have done much better with his attempted save.
Frustrated by an excellent game-plan implemented by Hughes and the visitors´ committed concentration and defending, the champions created few openings as their 100 percent winning start came to an unexpected end.- Flowing move -After 11 minutes, Samir Nasri gathered a square pass from Bacary Sagna and unleashed a snap-shot which goalkeeper Asmir Begovic turned away from his goal smartly. But it was not until stoppage-time in that first period that Stoke´s goal was threatened again in a flowing move that had been all too rare from the hosts over the first 45 minutes.
Sergio Aguero slipped a pass through the area for the overlapping full-back Kolarov who sprinted to the by-line and pulled the ball back for Yaya Toure whose shot, from the corner of the six-yard area, was tipped over acrobatically by Begovic.
Those half-chances aside, City failed to find the enterprising football that has become such a feature of their home performances in recent seasons, and helped contribute to six consecutive home wins against Stoke in the Premier League by a combined 15-0 scoreline.It was a strangely lethargic display from City and one which contrasted with Stoke´s determined performance.
Nasri´s 51st minute shot was deflected just wide of the Stoke goal and Sagna´s clever prodded pass set up Toure whose effort was parried up, and onto the roof of the net, by Begovic.The corner led to Diouf´s extraordinary goal which, in turn, handed Stoke added belief that they could record their first top-flight win at City in 34 years. (AFP)
