The defender has quickly become an integral part of the Wigan Athletic team since his arrival last Christmas. His free-kick from five yards inside his own half left the home crowd in shock and awe as it sailed of Sorensen's head, nestling in the back of the net.
Maynor Figueroa celebrates his goal of the season from within his own half
Clearly, the Honduran was delighted with his goal, running behind his strike over to the travelling Wigan Athletic supporters were were delerious themselves over in the corner of the Britannia Stadium.
Figueroa's goal aside, it was a typical Wigan Athletic performance. Despite being much the better side in the first half, and taking a deserved lead through Emmerson Boyce's brave header, the Latics allowed themselves to be pegged back.
Boyce scored his third goal of the season for the club as he bravely put his head first following up Hugo Rodallega's saved header from a Jason Koumas free-kick.
However, with the half drawing to a close, a lack of reactino from Mario Melchiot allowed Tuncay Sanily to slip in a low shot under Chris Kirkland for a sucker punch shortly before the half time break.
The second half was then transposed with Stoke starting as much the brighter side and if anything looking the more likely to score. It is perhaps a testiment of the damage caused by both Tottenham away, and Birmingham at home in recent weeks, as the Latics faught hard to maintain their level footing.
What everyone wasn't expecting was the thunderbolt from Figueroa.
Unfortunately the Latics then reverted to type and showed their inconsistent head once more.
From shear brilliance to donkey's in the blink of an eye.
Many of the travelling support were still celebrating the Figueroa goal and Ryan Shawcross headed Stoke level for the second soft goal of the game.
There is little doubt that the Latics need to work on their soft underbelly. Two soft goals were conceded today in a game that was there for the taking.
On the positive side, there are not too many thigns wrong with the overall performances of the side and a point from the Britannia is more than most sides will come away with this season.
Jordi Gomez finally showed his true potential today as he produced a tormenting display that showed the reason why Martinez has so much faith in him. It could well be a fruitful Christmas period for the Spanish midfielder who has appeared rejuvinated in recent weeks.
Jason Scotland was dropped for the Spaniard with Hugo Rodallega pushed up top to play the lone front man. Scotland in particular has seemed almost too nervous and desperate to impress in recent weeks. Al he really needs is a goal from Father Christmas to get him settled.
Jason Koumas was the other change from the 3-2 defeat to Birmingham. He came in to replace the suspended Hendry Thomas, and without doubt will be back on the bench for Wednesday night's game with Liverpool.
Despite flighting over a delightful free kick for the opening goal, and showing that he might well be prepared to battle, the scouse midfielder once again flattered to deceive and proved to be a lightweight going forwards. So frustrating for a player with such obvious talents.
In midfield, Mo Diame was forced to put in a mammoth shift as he adapted to life without his midfield enforcing counterpart, Hendry Thomas.
Paul Scharner was another player to catch the eye, and not for his beautiful bottle blonde locks. The Austrian utility player was a real aerial presence both in an attacking sense, and also a defensive sense.
Brave Boyce scores the opening goal for Wigan Athletic
Emmerson Boyce paid the ultimate price for his goal as he was subsituted at half time with suspected concussion. Scharner dropped into the back four alongside the reliable Bramble and the Latics moved to an attacking midfield formation.
Gomez, Diame and Koumas made up the central trio with Sinclair, coming on for Boyce, and N'Zogbia operatign on the flanks.
The real question is not whether it was a point gained or two lost, but rather if the Latic can cut out the defensive frailties and push on with the dominating performances that their all-round play suggests.
Liverpool on Wednesday will be a big test, and with Bolton and Blackburn at the DW looming on the horizon, the next few weeks will be a big part of the season. On the one hand their are the teams over our shoulders at the foot of the table, whilst on the other hand there are those teams in mid-table obscurity who look more than catachable.
Who would bet against a solid Christmas period and not only retaining the core of the squad post January, but adding quality to it, and a late push for Europe?
Anyway, enough of my rubbish, here's what the people who matter thought.
Roberto Martinez
I didn't see if he was offside or not, but obviously there is a penalty as the contact is there and Sorensen is then two yards off his line. The penalty should have been retaken.
If the referee's decision goes in your favour or goes against you, over the course of the season you hope they level up. Sorensen should have been on the line, that's black and white not a judgement, that's the law.
It's quite clear, even the referee is in a perfect position and he should see it, the linesman should see it. But you don't get anywhere by hoping to win games by the referee's decisions.
I think the technicality of it doesn't surprise me at all because I know how Maynor strikes the ball every day in training. But the football arrogance to make that decision from a free-kick to score is special.
Just looking at the performance it's very, very pleasing. Looking at the way Stoke is pushing you, the way they are very, very effective. We stood up a bit and the way we finished the game and the way we finished the last 10 minutes speaks volumes of the performance.
I was really proud of the way we played and went about our business. There was a lot of talk about the way we react to disappointments on the pitch. Today we had to deal with many different things that went against us.
There was a good enough amount of attempts and playing away from home we stopped Stoke being effective and that was probably the most pleasing thing for me.
[Of Figueroa's goal] From open play you are allowed to be that brave but from a free-kick you have to be a little bit arrogant because you look a fool in front of live television if you don't hit the target.
I think it was a special moment, one of those moments when it is well worth being involved in football.
I'm sure we will see that goal time after time and for a goalkeeper the standard of Sorensen to be beaten from that distance it has to be something special. It is just a shame that goal was not part of a winning scoreline.
Tony Pulis
I haven't seen it myself, but people tell me he was almost a yard offside. The linesman is that side of the ball as well, so it was a poor decision. Two wrongs don't normally make a right, but it has done today.
He scores a one-off, it's a great strike and you don't want to take anything away from the kid.It is a great strike and that set us back a little bit, but we kept going and kept going, and the last five minutes was a little bit hairy after the penalty.
I'm very pleased with them. We had a load of chances and I don't think they got down our end for a long time.I'm happy with the character and spirit the players have shown.
The table
N.B. The table below is before the result of the Manchester United v Aston Villa game.
| Latest match Saturday, 12th December 2009 |
Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | |||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
| 1 | Chelsea | 16 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 13 | 37 | +27 | ||||
| 2 | Manchester United | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 34 | 13 | 34 | +21 | ||||
| 3 | Arsenal | 14 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 38 | 18 | 28 | +20 | ||||
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 22 | 27 | +13 | ||||
| 5 | Aston Villa | 15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 25 | 14 | 26 | +11 | ||||
| 6 | Manchester City | 15 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 26 | +8 | ||||
| 7 | Liverpool | 15 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 31 | 20 | 24 | +11 | ||||
| 8 | Birmingham City | 16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 24 | 0 | ||||
| 9 | Fulham | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 17 | 23 | +3 | ||||
| 10 | Sunderland | 16 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 0 | ||||
| 11 | Stoke City | 16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 19 | 21 | -4 | ||||
| 12 | Blackburn Rovers | 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 19 | -12 | ||||
| 13 | Burnley | 16 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 34 | 18 | -14 | ||||
| 14 | Wigan Athletic | 16 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 36 | 18 | -17 | ||||
| 15 | Everton | 16 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 30 | 17 | -8 | ||||
| 16 | Hull City | 17 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 34 | 17 | -17 | ||||
| 17 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 16 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 28 | 16 | -13 | ||||
| 18 | West Ham United | 16 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 31 | 14 | -7 | ||||
| 19 | Bolton Wanderers | 15 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 32 | 13 | -12 | ||||
| 20 | Portsmouth | 16 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 24 | 11 | -10 | ||||
Next game
Next up for the Latics is the difficult trip to Anfield on Wednesday night. Hopefully Roberto Martinez and his players will be able to replicate the performance shown against Chelsea and take points off the big four for the second time in their Premier league history.