Zan Vipotnik’s 17th Championship goal of the season and a spectacular long-range strike from Liam Cullen earned Swansea City a 2-0 victory over 10-man Stoke City at the Swansea.com Stadium, extending the hosts’ unbeaten home league run to 10 matches. Stoke winger Sorba Thomas was sent off for a second yellow card in the 36th minute, a decision that proved pivotal as Swansea eventually made the numerical advantage count after the interval.
Swansea started quickly and created the better early chances, but Stoke responded impressively, saw a Ben Wilmot header ruled out and then lost Thomas in a fractious spell before half-time. Vipotnik’s glancing header from a Josh Tymon corner finally broke the deadlock after the break, and although Stoke threatened an unlikely late leveller through Bae Jun-ho, Cullen sealed the points in stoppage time with a brilliant lob from near the halfway line to deepen the Potters’ run of one win in 11 matches, even as they remain well clear of the relegation zone.
Swansea’s Fast Start Meets Stubborn Stoke Resistance
True to their impressive recent home form, Swansea were quickly into their stride and carved out opportunities almost from kick-off. In the first minute, Vipotnik slipped a pass into Ethan Galbraith, but the midfielder’s shot lacked the power to trouble Tommy Simkin, who gathered comfortably. Soon after, a neat pass from Jisung Eom released former Stoke full-back Josh Tymon, who drove a low effort towards the far corner, only for Simkin to spring to his right and save at full stretch.