Stoke City Vs Oxford Utd: Rak-Sakyi header ends Potters' seven-match drought in 2-1 win
The midweek contest labelled stoke city vs oxford utd produced a 2-1 win for Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium, with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's second-half header restoring the hosts' lead. The result ended Stoke's seven-match winless league run and left both clubs with sharply contrasting trajectories in the Championship table.
Stoke City Vs Oxford Utd: Rak-Sakyi winner and key moments
Rak-Sakyi, a 23-year-old on loan from Crystal Palace who began the season in Turkey and had previous spells at Charlton and Sheffield United, converted Sorba Thomas' left-wing cross with a header in the 56th minute to make it 2-1. It was his first goal for Stoke and came three minutes after Oxford had rattled the crossbar through Will Lankshear on 53 minutes. Lamine Cisse had opened the scoring for Stoke on 37 minutes, converting after a swift move involving Million Manhoef, before Ciaron Brown volleyed Oxford level on the stroke of half-time following a Will Vaulks chip and a Stanley Mills header across goal.
Match sequence and individual contributions
The game featured a number of distinct phases and notable actions. Early on, Tommy Simkin launched a 60-yard kick that found Million Manhoef in the 12th minute; Manhoef squared for Rak-Sakyi, who fired a low shot that Jamie Cumming saved. Five minutes later Cumming denied Eric Bocat. Sorba Thomas tested the target with a 20th-minute effort that flew wide, while Oxford’s first meaningful shot arrived on 25 minutes when Will Lankshear's effort was gathered by Simkin.
Cisse's goal resulted from a rapid move that saw Tomas Rigo and Manhoef combine to give the Frenchman a clear run at goal; he beat Cumming from around 18 yards, a maiden league goal for Cisse that came at his 24th attempt. The equaliser arrived at the end of the first half when Vaulks' chipped ball found Mills, whose header created the chance for Brown to volley home from eight yards. With the score at 1-1, Lankshear backheeled Cameron Brannagan's free-kick against the crossbar on 53 minutes before Rak-Sakyi's decisive header at 56 minutes, Thomas collecting his eighth assist of the campaign.
Manager reaction and defensive concerns
Mark Robins described satisfaction with elements of the performance and with supporters who backed the side, while also noting frustration over defending from set-pieces that allowed Oxford back into the game. Robins said the team had found the right balance to break down lower blocks but conceded that set-piece lapses cost them the chance to be more comfortable on the scoreboard.
Table implications: Stoke, Oxford and the wider context
The victory eased immediate pressure on Stoke, who remain seven points shy of the play-off places, and marked their first home Championship success since December 13. It also completed a league double over relegation-threatened Oxford, who now sit six points adrift of safety with West Brom occupying 21st place. Separate season-long context shows Oxford listed 23rd with a record of six wins, 11 draws and 16 defeats from 33 league outings; their attacking unit has been identified as among the division's weakest, despite recent clean sheets against Coventry City and Middlesbrough in matches where they failed to score.
Season trends, squad availability and next steps
The result lands amid a broader set of trends flagged ahead of the game: Stoke had begun the calendar year with three consecutive wins across competitions but then fell into a prolonged run without victory, recorded as seven matches unbeaten in defeatless terms before this win, while an earlier weekend draw saw Ben Wilmot salvage a point with an 89th-minute equaliser after scoring a brace in that fixture. There are 13 matches remaining for Stoke, with seven points separating them from sixth-placed Wrexham — a margin that, on paper, keeps the play-off pathway open.
Squad availability also remains a factor. Viktor Johansson has been out with a shoulder injury and has yet to feature in 2026, leaving Tommy Simkin to resume in goal; backup goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu is unavailable. Oxford operate under manager Matt Bloomfield amid recent managerial changes and inconsistency, and with Sheffield Wednesday's 18-point deduction confirming their relegation, the remaining fixtures take on heightened importance for those fighting to avoid the drop.
By Calum Burrowes | 23 Feb 2026 13: 17, Last updated: 23 Feb 2026 17: 45
