Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson was the star of the show as the Potters finally ended their away-day woes with a convincing 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. The victory marked a significant turning point for Stoke, who had gone four league games on the road without a win or even a goal.
Blackburn, on the other hand, dominated the first half and left many wondering how they failed to find the back of the net. They created numerous chances, with Wouter Burger denying Yuki Ohashi from a dangerous cross and Johansson making a crucial save to thwart Ohashi’s shot from a tight angle. The home side continued to press, with a dangerous corner forcing Johansson into another impressive save to palm away Ohashi’s header.
Despite Blackburn’s dominance, Stoke managed to create a golden opportunity to take the lead just before halftime. Lewis Koumas’s shot was blocked, but the ball fell to Enda Stevens, who set up Million Manhoef, only for his effort to be saved by Aynsley Pears.
The second half saw a slight shift in momentum, with Stoke beginning to look more dangerous. Shortly after Ohashi missed a golden chance to break through, Stoke took the lead in the 57th minute. Manhoef found space on the edge of the area and unleashed a powerful shot that flew past Pears for his fifth goal of the season.
Blackburn desperately sought a response and came close when Ohashi looked set to nod in a cross, only for Junior Tchamadeu to arrive just in time to block his effort. Manhoef had another opportunity to double Stoke’s lead in the 64th minute but his shot was well saved by Pears.
This was when Johansson truly rose to the occasion. He made a series of outstanding saves to preserve Stoke’s lead. He first got a hand to a curling effort from substitute Tyrhys Dolan, pushing it over the bar. Then, he produced an even better save to deny Andi Weimann’s header from close range, with his teammates rushing to celebrate his heroics.
Johansson was helpless when Makhtar Gueye, with 10 minutes remaining, somehow headed wide from point-blank range. The pressure was finally eased with five minutes left when a sloppy back-pass put Danny Batth in trouble, forcing him to bring down Bae Jun-ho in the box. Tom Cannon calmly slotted home the resulting penalty to seal the win for Stoke.
The victory lifted Stoke to 14th in the Championship table, just one point behind Blackburn who drop to 10th following their third consecutive defeat. The result also marked the fourth consecutive game that Blackburn failed to find the back of the net.
Blackburn manager John Eustace admitted his team was disappointed not to score any of the chances they created and highlighted the need to defend better. He was, however, positive about his team’s performance and their never-say-die attitude.
Stoke manager Narcis Pelach praised Johansson’s performance but urged him to remain humble and strive for more.
This was a crucial victory for Stoke, ending their away-day woes and putting them back on track in the Championship. However, they will need to continue to build on this momentum and maintain consistency if they want to climb the table. For Blackburn, this is a worrying slump, and they will need to find a way to rediscover their scoring touch quickly.
