Stoke City 3-2 Blackburn Rovers: Ki-Jana Hoever double sparks Potters win against promotion hopefuls
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Ki-Jana Hoever's only previous career goal was for Liverpool in a 2-0 League Cup win at MK Dons in September 2019
Blackburn Rovers' hopes of automatic promotion from the Championship took a hit as Stoke City made it eight goals in two games to secure back-to-back wins for only the second time this season.
Alex Neil's Potters, 5-1 winners at Sunderland last weekend, stormed into a 3-0 lead before Rovers staged a late fightback, scoring twice in the final four minutes.
On-loan Wolves wing-back Ki-Jana Hoever's first-half double, supplemented by Tyrese Campbell's second-half strike, looked to have comfortably secured all three points.
But Blackburn substitute Ben Brereton Diaz headed home in the 86th minute, then Sam Gallagher nodded in another four minutes later - and the frantic Stoke supporters had to survive five minutes of added time before being sure of all three points.
Rovers remain fourth in the table, nine points behind Sheffield United in second, when victory would have taken them third before the rest of the weekend's programme.
Stoke had already wasted one great chance before they scored, when Will Smallbone smacked a ferocious angled right-foot shot against the bar from 12 yards after being played in by Campbell.
But, on 24 minutes, Dwight Gayle whipped in a useful cross from the left - and an unmarked Hoever stole in with a right-foot finish on the half-volley.
Stoke might then have had a penalty when Smallbone was upended in the box by Dom Hyam. But, having survived that, Rovers did not hold out for much longer.
When Smallbone's low shot was saved by Aynsley Pears, and Rovers failed to clear their lines sufficiently, Josh Laurent curled in a dipping right-foot cross from the left and Hoever stole in behind the dozing Tyrhys Dolan to head home.
Stoke should have added to their two-goal half-time lead after they ripped open the Rovers defence down the left and, when the ball cannoned back into his path off Hayden Carter, Smallbone lashed a left-foot shot over.
But the hosts, who had only previously won successive league games once this season back in October, appeared to have made the game safe when Laurent barged and weaved his way through lamentable defending down the left to set up Campbell's low left-foot finish.
Rovers got one back when Brereton Diaz headed home fellow sub Callum Brittain's clipped right-wing cross - and it seemed too little, too late.
But it became panic stations in the Potteries when Gallagher headed in Harry Pickering's left-wing cross. And, although there was home delight at ending Rovers' four-game winning run in the league, there was more than a little relief too.
Who's next?
Stoke are back in action on Tuesday when they face an evening trip to second-placed Middlesbrough.
Blackburn's next game is the following night when they host former Rovers boss Paul Ince's Reading.
Stoke boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:
"It was a very disappointing finish as, up until the 80th minute, we had been very comfortable. But it was then suddenly 'game on' for the last few minutes and it had no right to be.
"But that shouldn't take anything away from the first-half performance. We could have been more goals ahead - and should have been too. We've a lot of positives to take from this. We've got a really good balance about us.
"When we do score the first goal, we're a dangerous team. That's four wins out of six, which in this division is really good. I've been saying for weeks that we've been doing better but ultimately no one believes you unless you get results on the pitch.
"Hoever is very attack-minded, he wants to gets in at the back post. He has great athleticism and he used it great effect."
Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson:
"I hate losing, the players hate losing, the fans hate losing. We always knew it was going to be a tough game.
"We were poor on the ball in the first half and that cost us the game. But the only thing I can really complain about is the third goal, which we gave away.
"The players showed great character to come back. Credit to them. They kept on believing, and scoring two goals away is not that bad.
"Of course we're disappointed but we have had a great run so far in 2023. That is only the second game we have lost, but we always knew there would be ups and downs."