Stoke City's five-game losing streak came to an end this afternoon thanks to a 3-1 win at Bournemouth in the Premier League.
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Going into today's match it was exactly a month since Stoke last scored a goal, but they put that right inside the opening 10 minutes through record January signing Giannelli Imbula, who slammed home from the edge of the area.
Stoke held their lead comfortably through to half time, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Mame Biram Diouf close to doubling the visitors' lead, while at the other end Jack Butland had to be alert to divert Charlie Daniels's looped effort out.
The Potters then doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half when Jonathan Walters teed up Ibrahim Afellay to curl home.
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Three minutes later it was 3-0 to Mark Hughes's side, with Joselu nodding home Shaqiri's cross moments after coming on to put the game out of Bournemouth's reach.
Matt Ritchie pulled one back instantly with a well-struck volley from Daniels's cross, but that was as good as it got for the Cherries.
Stoke climb to ninth in the table, five points off the European places, while Bournemouth remain 15th and four points above the drop zone.
Pascal Lemesre
