Bae Jun-ho explodes with assists from the season opener... plays 24 minutes, achieves 100% pass accuracy and creates two big chances as Stoke secures a comfortable 2-0 victory

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean national team midfielder Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) made a fresh start by scoring an attacking point from the season opener.

On the 8th (Korea time), Stoke defeated Oldham Athletic 2-0 in the first round of the 2026–2027 English Football League (EFL) Cup at Bet365 Stadium in Stoke, England.

Bae Jun-ho was not included in the starting lineup and began the match on the bench. With Stoke taking a 1-0 lead through an own goal by the opponent in the 3rd minute of the second half, Bae entered the field in the 21st minute of the second half as a substitute.

Although his playing time was short, his presence was undeniable. Bae Jun-ho provided the assist for the team's decisive goal. In the 37th minute of the second half, after receiving a pass from Robert Bo-Jenniek under pressure from the opposing defense, he delicately threaded the ball through the defensive line. Bo-Jenniek then dribbled forward and scored an additional goal with a precise shot. Bae Jun-ho recorded an assist.

Stoke extended their lead to 2-0 with this goal, solidifying their advantage and ultimately securing their advancement to the next round.

Bae Jun-ho's performance went beyond just one assist. He demonstrated high efficiency throughout the attack. Playing for 24 minutes, he attempted 13 passes, all of which were accurately delivered to his teammates. His pass completion rate was 100%. He also attempted and successfully completed one long pass.

He created several decisive opportunities. Bae Jun-ho recorded three chance-creating actions and two big chances created. His expected assists (xA) reached 0.47, indicating that he did not simply keep possession safely but also provided critical passes that broke down the opposing defense. He also made one tackle, contributing to the team's defensive efforts.

It is particularly encouraging that he recorded an attacking point from the very first official match of the new season. In the 2025–2026 league season, Bae appeared in 42 matches, scoring two goals and providing three assists. Considering he wears the number 10 jersey for Stoke, his attacking contributions were somewhat underwhelming.

Stoke manager Mark Robins also emphasized last season that Bae Jun-ho "needs to show more ambition to create more moments that can change the game."

Bae Jun-ho responded immediately from the first match of the new season. By providing an assist for the team's decisive goal, he demonstrated the 'game-changer' qualities expected by his manager.

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*This content was translated by AI.