Dynamo Kiev 1 - 1 Stoke City
Vukojevic 90+1 Jerome 55
Att: 14,500
The Potters were just 2 minutes away from securing what would of been argubly the clubs greatest ever fete by beating european powehouse Dynamo Kiev in their own backyard. It was not to be though as Stoke's defence was breached deep into stoppage time.
Kiev dominated the game predominantly throughout which they were expected to do, the hosts had the majority of possesion 66% and had 27 shots on the Stoke goal. Kiev is seen as one the toughest places to come and get a result, just ask Man City who were knocked out of the Europa league last season in the knockout stages by Dynamo.
Stoke made 8 changes from the team which beat Liverpool last weekend, Pulis handed a debut to new boy Jerome and also gave Palacios his first start. Sorrenson, Wilkinson, Shotton, Diao, Whelan and Jones were the other changes.
Stoke never really got going in the first half and were pretty much on the back foot from the off, but Stoke sustained the pressure easily enough and never looked in any real danger. The closet Kiev came to scoring was when Yarmolenko blazed wide with the goal gaping.
Pulis should take a lot of credit despite the disappointment of conceding late on. He played five at the back, reducing Dynamo's considerable threat from the channels. Although Stoke were lucky to go into the break with 10 men on the field after the ref went card happy middway through the first half. Diao, Huth, Shawcross and Upson all went into the book for clumsy challenges.
Stoke's game plan was clear, soak up the pressure and hit Dynamo on the break. Which is exactly what they did in the 55th minute. Stoke passed their way out danger at the back Shotton broke down the right played a neat one-two with Jones just over the half way in which he continued his run into the Kiev penalty area and when Jerome cleaverly pealed away at the far post Shotton picked him out with a precise pass and Jerome's finish into the roof of the net was world class.
The goal didnt change the flow of the game too much its was still pretty much all Kiev but Stoke dealt easliy enough with it reducing them to wayward long range shots. Stoke then had another rare break with Dynamo pushing for the equaliser they were caught short at the back when the ball was played upto Jones who took the on his chest moved in field got between 2 defenders had a couple of yards on the defenders but he stopped and tryed to roll the ball but the defender got back and blocked the shot.
Shevchenko carried on being wasteful as his team pressed forward. The former Chelsea striker volleyed over near the six-yard box in the 70th minute, after the impressive substitute Aliyev had chipped the ball over the top.
Just a minute later, Aliyev rattled the bar from 22 yards with a powerful shot after Shevchenko had teed him up. Brown also had a close-range header stopped by Sorensen, but Dynamo's pressure eventually paid off when Vukojevic finally prodded home from a low cross deep into stoppage time.
A bitter sweet end to the night for Stoke, a very good draw away in Europe felt like a defeat. If only Upson or Whitehead had stuck a leg out to the cross it would of been all singing in the street, Sorenson was helpless to stop the shot. Next up for Stoke is Sunderland and with the rested players coming back in Stoke should have enough to take all three points and continue their great start to the season.
Man of the Match: Jerome, great finish for the goal and work hard.
Stoke: Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilkinson, Shotton, (Whitehead 81), Whelan, Diao, Palacios, (Walters 87), Jones, Jerome, (Pennant 75)