Edo Kayembe scores brace as Watford ease past Stoke to maintain winning start

Posted Sunday, August 18, 2024 by PA

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.