Carlos Corberan delighted with West Brom display
Carlos Corberan hailed his Albion side for understanding and delivering on the importance of the clash with Stoke ahead of the World Cup break.
The Baggies moved out of the Championship's bottom three with a third win and clean sheet on the spin as the recovery and turnaround under new head coach Corberan continues at pace.
The contest was lit up by forward Brandon Thomas-Asante whose first goal in almost two months was very much one to remember. He executed a stunning bicycle over stranded goalkeeper Jack Bonham and in for 2-0 just after half-time.
Defender Kyle Bartley continued his own recovery story by heading Albion into a lead at the interval, by which point they could have already been three or four goals to the good.
Corberan spoke afterwards of the important of the contest to sign off ahead of the four-week break for the international tournament in positive form and spirits. He felt his team were on top from start to finish.
He said: "It was a very positive performance from the team and very positive result.
"I think the result was the consequence from the team competing in the game very well from the beginning.
"I think the team today adapted very well to the need of the game.
"The team was showing how important the game was for us, and showing it from the first action until the end of the game.
"For me the effort that the players did today deserve the three points."
Former Salford striker Thomas-Asante's acrobatic effort at the Brummie Road end will take some beating in Albion's goal of the season category
For Thomas-Asante it was a first start under Corberan after he had impressed from the bench in previous wins over Blackpool and QPR.
Asked about the spectacular bicycle kick, the head coach said: "I watched the team playing, I can repeat again, with a lot of commitment and after it is very important for our strikers to have this type of situation.
"We know our strikers need to provide goals, I value a lot the effort Asante was doing and the impact he had when he was playing from the bench or when he played in the first 11 like today.
"Yes it was a very nice goal, of course.
"It is necessary to have this belief, I think, if you don't believe in yourself it is going to be impossible to impact the games."
Albion were also able to introduce Daryl Dike back into first-team action in stoppage time after the powerful United States striker spent more than three months out injured.
