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Draw pushes Stoke to last 32

Comment: 0 December 2nd, 2011 by: admin

A 1-1 final score against Dynamo Kiev cleared the way for Stoke as they become the first English team to advance to the knockout phase of the Europa League competition.

The draw came after the near-last minute heroics of Kenwyne Jones, whose magnificent header ended the home squad’s struggle to rectify a potentially devastating own goal earlier in the first half.

Tony Pulis’ team survived the group stage with 11 points, accumulated after 3 wins, 2 draws and 0 defeats.  This puts them 2 points above second placers Besiktas, who finish with 9 points.

The match begins with visitors Dynamo clearly meaning business as midfielder Oleksandr Aliyev as early as the 5^th minute attempts a shot saved by Asmir Begovic.

Kiev however fight to maintain possession and 5 minutes later Aliyev from 25 yards away again attempts a goal that swerves away from the net.

The visitors’ dominance pays off with a massive sting for Stoke as another Aliyev shot is deflected by Matthew Upson to give the visitors a 0-1 lead by the 27^th minute.

Shortly after Dynamo would attempt another goal through Andriy Shevchenko, who missed the target and instead set the ball ricocheting off the goal frame.

The second half saw Stoke upping their game, as Dynamo’s Oleksandr Shovkovskiy saved a decent goal attempt by midfielder Wilson Palacios at the 51^st minute.  Another attempt followed, this time by Rory Delap, whom Shovkovskiy also denied.

A few minutes after, another strike came from Jermaine Pennant but was deflected by Yevhen Khacheridi.

The raging home team’s efforts came to amazing fruition in the 81^st minute, when a cross from Pennant reached Jones, who from close range heaved a header that rocketed the ball to the back of the net to equalise.

With the visitors finding nothing to answer with within the remaining time, the determining match ended in a draw that declared Stoke triumphant in the group stages, and qualified for the last 32.

‘It’s a great achievement to qualify,’ beamed Pulis.  ‘I thought it was one of the toughest groups out there – not just because of the travelling but because of the strength of the opposition.’

Match hero Jones acknowledged how the squad had performed well enough to catch the attention of former doubters.

‘It’s our first time in Europe and we have done well when nobody expected us to,’ he said.  ‘We have turned a few heads in this group.’

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