Stoke City hauled themselves back from 2-0 down to earn what could be an invaluable point in a full throttle derby with West Brom.
Stoke hadn’t come from behind at home for 15 months before this week but they have now done it twice in six days. They came from one down to draw with Huddersfield on Monday and climbed an even bigger mountain this time, having gone two behind just before the hour mark. West Brom had been clinical with goals from Mikey Johnston and Jed Wallace.
But Million Manhoef halved the deficit with a well-taken strike after he cut in from the right and Andre Vidigal made it all square when he kept his nerve to score from the rebound after his penalty had been pushed away.
It is the second time this season that Stoke have come back from 2-0 down – the other being a 3-2 win at Bristol City – and, although they will be kicking themselves for getting into that position in the first place, the way that home supporters bounced out of the bet365 Stadium showed the significance of what they had achieved.
Stoke stay 18th and now four points above the trapdoor – and only one point separates the teams from 15th to 18th – with five games to play.
If Stoke have forged a reputation this season for not taking chances they’ve created and giving one up too easily at the other end, it was cranked up to 11 in this first half. Stoke had five genuinely big moments going forward but couldn’t provide the final touch while Johnston was ruthless and urgent to give the visitors what seemed like it would be an all-important lead.
Stoke started brightly and Manhoef slipped a lovely pass through for Sead Haksabanovic on the inside left to have a shot saved by Alex Palmer. Manhoef was next to be put through himself, with a super pass from Ryan Mmaee to release the winger into a one-on-one. Palmer went down low early and made too comfortable save.
Haksabanovic was next in, playing a one-two with Bae Junho to get behind the defence on the inside left only to pull a shot past Palmer and the far post. And Johnston showed how it was done as he got on the ball mid-way inside the Stoke half, wide on the left, played a one-two with Grady Diangana to burst inside and get behind the home defence and calmly lift a shot past Daniel Iversen.
Stoke reacted with a pinger from Enda Stevens, who swept onto a pass with his left foot after Manhoef came inside from the right and found his own route to goal blocked by a swarm of bodies. And Mmaee, having collected a long ball from Laurent that held up in the wind, swivelled passed Cedric Kipre just to the right of the penalty spot and poked a shot past Palmer that trickled past the left post. Ki-Jana Hoever was unlucky not to get a decisive touch past the keeper as well when he steamed in to get on the end of a through ball from Haksabanovic.
The second half started in much the same vein with Mmaee and Junho linking with quick feet in the area before the former nibbled a shot that deflected and had Palmer scrambling. And Palmer had to be on his toes again moments later when Daniel Iversen’s long punt intended for Manhoef on the right caught in the wind and inadvertently swept towards the goal in front of the Boothen End.
But of course the breakthrough again came at the other end. Brandon Thomas-Asante darted past Laurent and Hoever down the Albion left wing and his low cross was punched out by Iversen straight into Wallace, who didn’t know much about it as it looped back over the keeper and in for his side’s second of the day.
Stoke gave themselves a chance when Manhoef seized on a back heel from Hoever and slotted in his first goal for the club, a neat finish.
And they were level in the 78th minute when Yann M’Vila inexplicably fouled Campbell just inside the area and Vidigal had the chance from the penalty spot. It was an awful penalty but Palmer palmed it straight back to the forward to finish calmly with his left foot.
Here are the player ratings from the bet365 Stadium:
Iversen: Almost caught Palmer off guard when wind caught long punt forward. Will wonder if he might have pushed cross away from Wallace for Albion second. 6
Hoever: Again got into some useful attacking positions, including clever assist for Manhoef. Couldn’t stop Thomas-Asante steaming down wing to set up second. 7
Stevens: Left-footed long ranger fizzed past the post. Stoke a different proposition down the left with a natural left back. 7
McNally: Goes hunting for ball sometimes but whole hearted. Air shot at corner as Stoke searched for way back into game. 6
Rose: Sometimes heart rules his head but keeps going, prepared to make blocks and kept the ball. 6
Thompson: Back in central midfield and some useful hustling, even if he is still finding his range for those shots from outside the box. Ended up at left-back again and stayed involved. 7
Laurent: A couple of clever passes using the wind and but will think he should have done better for Albion’s first and second goals. 6
Junho: Lovely touch to set up chance for Haksabanovic and linking play improving if he can still add those final moments. 7
Manhoef: Should have scored in first half one-on-one but teed up a couple of good chances and buried his first goal for club in second half. 8
Haksabanovic: Should have had one or maybe two goals to his name in lively first half when he was able to play neatly and quickly but not ruthlessly. 7
Mmaee: Brightest appearance for months and went close himself while linking well with teammates in attacking third. 7
Substitutes
Campbell (for Mmaee, 55): Nipped shot just past the post after being set up by Vidigal but won penalty thanks to some mad defending. 7
Burger (for Stevens, 61): A good player to be bringing on for the last half an hour. Silly booking for pull back. 7
Vidigal (for Haksabanovic, 61): A lucky boy to get the rebound from that penalty but made it count with first goal since Boxing Day. Looks like he’s been putting on muscle. 7
Leris (for Manhoef, 83): Some handy flicks into dangerous areas and energy in injury time. 6
Leave a Reply