Stoke 2 - Southampton 1: Saints suffer Champions League blow after Adam's late strike

STOKE rediscovered their old mongrel spirit to come from behind in a game they could easily have lost by half-time if Southampton were more ruthless.

Charlie Adam scored the winner for Stoke denting Southampton's Champions League hopesGETTY

Charlie Adam scored the winner for Stoke denting Southampton's Champions League hopes

Super-sub Charlie Adam notched the winner in the 84th minute after the Potters staged a typically brave fight-back in the second-half.

Morgan Schneiderlin’s tap-in put the Saints ahead before Mame Diouf equalised just after half-time.

The Saints could have been out of sight had they been more clinical, especially lone Italian striker Graziano Pelle.

Glaring misses by Steven Nzonzi in the first-half and late on by substitute Peter Crouch did not ultimately cost Stoke, who won for the first time in five games.

Ronald Koeman’s Southampton still require another point to better their best-ever points tally in the Premier League, which they achieved last season.

Koeman said: “Sometimes it’s difficult to understand and accept a result like today. We did enough to get at least one point. We played very well in the first 45 minutes and created good chances. We needed to be a bit more clinical in the box after the chances we created.

“It’s a difficult place to come but we fought well against a physical team like Stoke.”

Stoke’s Mark Hughes said: “We conceded a poor goal from a set-play. I thought it came against the run of play and it gave them a boost as they played some decent stuff first half.

“In the second half I thought we were really strong.”

Toby Alderweireld was stretched off late on after suffering a shoulder injuryACTION

Toby Alderweireld was stretched off late on after suffering a shoulder injury
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