Hull City 0 Stoke City 2: Stunning Xherdan Shaqiri double gives visitors second successive win

[Keepman.]

Xherdan Shaqiri's brilliant brace takes to four unbeaten games in a row


Xherdan Shaqiri delivered another display of his class, with two technically-brilliant, long-range goals, to keep up Stoke City’s recent revival and prolong Hull City’s slide, leading to a bad-tempered ending to the match with players confronting each other.  Shaqiri was involved in the words exchanged after the full-time whistle blew and it was no surprise if Hull players were feeling agitated by the sight of the Swiss, considering how destructive he had been. Four men were booked in the scenes at the end – Hull’s Sam Clucas plus Stoke’s Shaqiri, Phil Bardsley and Joe Allen.


Shaqiri opened the scoring with a wonderful long-range effort

When a game between two struggling sides is tight and the points are precious, it is often a standout player blessed with a touch of class who makes the difference, with rare moments of quality. Stoke’s possession of Shaqiri means that their odds on staying in a relegation battle should be far longer than Hull’s. When the whistle blew, Stoke knew it and could feel the adrenalin rush while Hull were left to lick wounds that hurt.