The Mali international flicked in Rory Delap's arrowed throw-in 13 minutes into the second half.
Goalkeeper Carlo Nash produced a decent display to frustrate the home side.
And Jamie Cureton missed a fine opportunity to haul the sides level in stoppage time when he bundled wide from six yards in a crowded penalty area.
• Norwich manager Glenn Roeder:
"It was probably the most frustrating match I've been involved in since I came here.
"The goal is shocking, we worked hard for two days defending Stoke's set plays, particularly the long throws and generally speaking we dealt with those all night.
"But the one time we didn't deal with one it ends up in the net. You can't say it's bad luck when we miss the kind of chances we create."
• Stoke manager Tony Pulis:
"I'm delighted for Mamady Sidibe. Last season he made it into double figures which was his best return in a season.
"He's hasn't got as many this time but he sets them up and takes the pressure off Ricardo Fuller. I was delighted when I saw his header hit the back of the net."
Norwich: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Pearce, Camara (Evans 69), Croft, Fotheringham, Pattison, Bertrand, Dublin, Cureton.
Subs Not Used: Gilks, Gibbs, Spillane, Daley.
Stoke: Nash, Griffin, Cort (Shawcross 81), Riggott, Dickinson, Lawrence, Delap, Diao (Fuller 52), Pugh, Cresswell, Sidibe (Gallagher 84).
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Wilkinson.
Booked: Delap.
Goals: Sidibe 58.
Att: 23,471
Ref: Keith Woolmer (Northamptonshire).
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