Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Watford and Stoke City at Vicarage Road on Saturday | Edo Kayembe scores twice as Hornets run out comfortable winners in first home game of the season.
Saturday 17 August 2024 18:42, UK
Watford continued their winning start to the season with a convincing 3-0 victory at home to Stoke.
Both sides had enjoyed opening-day wins in the Sky Bet Championship plus Carabao Cup successes against lower-league opposition in midweek.
However, two goals in two minutes early in the second half from Edo Kayembe and Ryan Andrews set up a straightforward victory for Tom Cleverley's hosts, with Kayembe adding another later on.
The first chance belonged to the visitors when Million Manhoef was found in space on the right of the box, but the Dutchman's shot was saved by Daniel Bachmann, a former Stoke goalkeeper.
Watford replied with a drive from Andrews that smacked back off the near post but Stoke were back again in the 20th minute when Emre Tezgel fired across goal and narrowly wide.
The Hornets hit the woodwork again after Potters goalkeeper Viktor Johansson had saved from Jeremy Ngakia.
James Morris tried his luck from distance with a lob over the back-tracking Johansson that bounced back off the crossbar.
Moussa Sissoko, back at Watford after two seasons in France, then tested Johansson with an effort from outside the box but that was it as far as the first-half entertainment was concerned.
Watford made a change for the second half with Ngakia replaced by Yasser Larouci, the former Liverpool defender on loan from Troyes.
And it paid instant dividends as Stoke sluggishly allowed Andrews another chance to shoot in the 47th minute. Johansson could only parry his low drive into the air and Kayembe arrived in a flash to hook into the net.
The Potters failed to heed the warning and conceded another two minutes later. Again it came on the rebound as Larouchi's effort was half blocked for Andrews to drill beyond Johansson.
Watford tails were up, with Mattie Pollock attempting an overhead-kick in search of a third and Kayembe blasting one chance over and then seeing another touched on to the crossbar by Johansson.
Stoke manager Steven Schumacher made three changes just after the hour mark, with new loan signing from Brighton Andrew Moran one, but again Watford went close, with Eric Bocat clearing Vakoun Bayo's header off the line with Johansson beaten.
The reprieve was short-lived, however, as Kayembe, set up by Giorgi Chakvetadze, burst through in the 73rd minute to beat Johansson with a rising drive that fittingly went in off the underside of the bar.
Stoke were denied a late consolation goal when substitute Lewis Koumas burst through but his shot was kept out by Bachmann's outstretched leg.
Watford's Tom Cleverley:
"We didn't have the ideal pre-season results-wise but I'm glad the lads still believed in the process, in all the principles we are trying to coach.
"That belief has been rewarded in the last week or so.
"It's three wins out of three and now it is time to rest, recuperate and really double down on the standards because that's what separates winning teams from just good teams.
"It's not celebration mode now but we feel a sense of reward."
Stoke's Steven Schumacher:
"I'm obviously disappointed with the outcome of the game. We played really well in the first half, I thought we were nice and strong and solid and a threat in the counter-attack.
"I said to the lads at half-time my only concern with the performance was that we weren't ahead.
"The two goals after half-time - from nothing really - changed the outcome. Two goals in quick succession is not easy to turn around.
"The second half got away from us and in the end no one could argue with the result.
"We know at times we are going to concede, especially away from home, and when it does happen it is time to regroup and get through a tough spell.
"We didn't manage to do that but it is not something we are going to panic about. It is part and parcel of football. We have to make sure we do better in those situations when we can."
