Wayne Rooney's Argyle have just two points from his first four games in charge
Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney suffered his first home defeat as Stoke City won on former Pilgrims manager Steven Schumacher's first return to Home Park.
Million Manhoef cut in from the right to drill into the bottom corner for the winner on 83 minutes as big spending Stoke, who beat Middlesbrough 5-0 in the Carabao Cup in midweek, won away from home for the second time in five days.
In their first two outings under Rooney at Home Park, Argyle had previously beaten Cheltenham in the EFL Cup and drawn at home to Hull City in the Championship - and they had drawn their previous game too, at QPR.
But despite having more than their fair share of possession and chances, they could not muster a goal as Schumacher won the private battle of the two boyhood Evertonians.
Million Manhoef's winner in Devon came just seven minutes from the end
In a frenetic opening half, Morgan Whittaker was a threat, testing Stoke keeper Viktor Johansson, who then had to go full stretch to keep out his next effort after jinking his way into the box.
But home keeper Conor Hazard then denied Manhoef with a brilliant block before saving the Netherlands Under-21 international's follow-up effort - and then extending a leg to keep out Wouter Burger's low goal-bound shot and again with his feet from Manhoef.
Liverpool loan man Lewis Koumas then fired just over at the near post on 54 minutes before Johansson made his best save on 67 minutes when he went full length to steer Whittaker's goal-bound shot round the post.
A brilliant fingertip stop from Michael Obafemi's shot on 75 minutes followed.
Hazard again denied Manhoef three minutes later. But, just seven minutes from time, Manhoef cut in from the same right side, wrong-footing marker Bali Mumba - to fire the ball low just inside the post - for his third goal in five days.
Who's next?
Both sides now have a fortnight off until the return of domestic football on Saturday, 14 September after the international break.
Stoke resume with a lunchtime trip to test Oxford United's 100% winning home start, while winless Plymouth, who have so far picked up just two two points out of 12 under Rooney, face the early leaders - Sunderland, the only side in the EFL yet to drop a point.
Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney told BBC Radio Devon:
"If we were clinical and more ruthless in front of goal, we could have won. It’s the same message we have been putting out in all the first four league games really.
“Coming off the back of the Middlesbrough win, we knew Stoke would come here with confidence. But I felt if anyone was going to win it would be us as the game went on.
“We were aggressive in the second half and got into some really good areas and when you get into those areas, you need to take advantage. Unfortunately we allowed Stoke back into the game and they got the goal."
Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke:
“For the neutral it was a really good game – end to end – and we expected it to go like that. It was the big three points that we needed. But I am drained.
“We said whoever shows the most quality on the breaks will win it, then Million produces another moment of magic and we go away delighted.
“We picked a really attacking team and wanted to cause Argyle problems. They had a 10-15 minute spell in the second half and it looked – from that moment on – the first goal would win it."
