Sport

Vitor Matos hails ‘brilliant’ Swansea as they battle to victory at Stoke

15 Aug 2026 3 minute read

Stoke City v Swansea City. EFL Sky Bet Championship. Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos. Credit: Gareth Everett. Huw Evans Picture Agency.

Nation.Cymru staff

Vitor Matos saluted his battling Swansea squad as they came from behind to stun Stoke 2-1.

Defender Eric Bocat’s first goal for the club gave the Potters the perfect start in the 10th minute.

But some poor defending contributed to Joseph Opoku levelling for the Welsh visitors 13 minutes later and in the 66th minute when substitute Adam Idah scored with his first touch of the game to turn the contest on its head.

“Sometimes we are lucky with substitutions,” said Matos. “It’s not always perfect, but today they came and impacted the game and I’m really pleased with that.

“I think it’s always about mindset and about mentality on these moments and they were brilliant, all the players coming from the bench and finding a way into the game and to impact that as well.

“I felt the game needed a bit more physicality in the final third and Adam (Idah) is a player who can offer that.

“Our goals showed the identity we want to keep building. I think it was a good game from our side.

“We started well. Stoke are really competitive and it’s really hard to come here to play. So on the first situation, they could break our press, they score.

“Then we needed to find a way to grab the game back to us, to put the game where normally we are stronger, we were able to do that, score the equaliser.”

Swansea goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux produced a fine save to thwart Sorba Thomas just before the hour.

And that fingertip block proved pivotal as Republic of Ireland international Idah netted eight minutes later to secure the points.

“The second half started, but I was having a feeling that Stoke were pushing us back and they created a chance from Sorba Thomas, but thankfully Vigouroux made an unbelievable save,” Matos added.

“Then when the subs come on, well that turned the game to us. After that I think we were emotional, stable and showed maturity.

“So yeah, I’m really pleased.”

Stoke City v Swansea City, EFL Sky Bet Championship.Joseph Opoku of Swansea City charges forward. Gareth Everett. Huw Evans Picture Agency.

Stoke boss Mark Robins was frustrated his side squandered an early lead and wasted a great chance to put the contest to bed through Thomas’s blocked shot.

“We turned the ball over too many times, but we still carried a threat,” Robins said. “If we do the basics right then we win that game.

“The real start was today and we needed to be better in those big moments,

“We had a golden opportunity to score, he (Thomas) just needed to roll it into the net.

“It’s a massively disappointing result.

“We need some players in, but the owners are backing us to the hilt.

“We can’t make mistakes like we made though, but we know we’ve got to get it right.

“We need to make sure we get those players in who are going to make a difference.

“We have to be better and having some much-needed quality will be welcome.

“It’s all about players, they make the difference.

“It was a really disappointing result, even though we had some good opportunities.”

Adam Idah comes off the bench to snatch Swansea victory at Stoke

Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.