Yokuslu thunderbolt helps strike down Huddersfield
Carlos Corberan enjoyed a happy return to Huddersfield Town as West Bromwich Albion came from behind to clinch a thumping 4-1 victory.
The Baggies failed to register a single shot in a dismal first-half display as Delano Burgzorg gave the hosts a deserved lead at the break.
However, a rampant away side turned on the style in an impressive second half to stretch its unbeaten run to five games and tighten its grip on a promotion play-off place.
A double courtesy of the in-form Mikey Johnston, a goal on Kyle Bartley’s return and a thunderbolt from Okay Yokuslu set the Baggies on their way to an important win.
Andre Breitenreiter, Huddersfield’s fifth boss since Corberan left the club in July 2022, oversaw another bright start in his fourth game in charge.
The hosts, who dropped into the relegation zone after Stoke City’s victory at Preston North End, dominated the early stages and were eventually rewarded.
On the cusp of the half hour mark, Burgzorg opened the scoring against the Baggies, just as he did in the reverse fixture in September.
The Dutch forward twisted beyond Darnell Furlong before unleashing a fierce strike that wriggled under stopper Alex Palmer, his seventh goal of the campaign.
A rocked West Brom nearly found itself further behind moments later, but it was indebted to Bartley’s heroic last-ditch challenge to thwart Jack Rudoni.
Despite a dreadful first half, the Baggies only found themselves one goal behind and Corberan’s instructions at the interval proved decisive.
A transformed side returned for the restart and soon found its leveller to open the floodgates.
Jed Wallace dashed to the byline and teed up Celtic loanee Johnston for a simple tap-in, with the latter continuing his hot goalscoring streak since a January switch.
Burgzorg was gifted a golden chance to restore Huddersfield’s lead by Yokuslu, but Palmer raced out crucially to deny a Town second.
That miss would prove pivotal for the course of the fixture as the visitors completed their quickfire comeback on the hour mark.
A Wallace strike prompted pinball in the hosts’ box with a poaching Bartley on hand to poke home, marking his first start in seven games with a goal.
Turkish international Yokuslu, who turned 30 on Saturday, then marked his birthday weekend in style as his piledriver from range arrowed beyond a helpless Nicholls.
The rampant Baggies soon added a fourth through Johnston’s second of the afternoon.
The dazzling winger skipped beyond Matty Pearson and slotted coolly beyond Nicholls for his sixth goal in seven games.
To compound a miserable afternoon for the Terriers, a heroic Palmer double save denied both Rudoni and Danny Ward as they remain in the drop zone.
Meanwhile, West Brom secured a first win this season after conceding first and a first league victory at Huddersfield since 2000.