Potters through to knockout stages
stokecityfc.comKENWYNE JONES powered home a trademark close range header to book Stoke City's passage through to the Knockout Stages of the Europa League . . . as they secured the precious point in their Group E encounter with Dynamo Kiev.
Jones netted his fourth goal in Europe and his sixth of the season in total from a Jermaine Pennant cross to cancel out an unfortunate own goal from Matthew Upson in the first half as the Potters hit back to claim a share of the spoils with the Ukrainians.
The draw was enough to take City through and it was so nearly a night of double celebration as Besiktas snatched a late winner in Israel to leave the issue of who finishes top of Group E in the balance going into Matchday Six in two weeks time.
Kiev, who needed a good result to keep their hopes of qualification alive, looked the better side in the first half to frustrate the Potters and they went in front in the 28th minute when the outstretched Upson turned the ball into his own net.
But City pressed on in the second half and had a number of good chances - Pennant having a shot cleared off the line - before Jones rose to head home the all-important goal.
The draw means that Kiev now look likely to go out of the competition and their hopes of progress now rest on the Potters managing to win in Istanbul.
Pulis made eight changes to the side that had got back to winning ways at the weekend with Huth, Pennant and Delap the only survivors from the Blackburn match.
City made an encouraging start as they forced a throw-in on the left hand side which Delap launched in the box, but Upson's flick landed safely with Shovkovskiy.
Although the Potters sustained the early pressure, it was Kiev who threatened on the counter attack as Alyev gave Begovic an uneasy moment with a long range shot before the giant Bosnian grasped the ball at the second attempt moving low to his right.
After Palacios had shown some neat touches, a rather ambitious attempt at a pass let Alyev in again and he tried his luck from long range with the ball flashing past the post.
Shotton was detailed to take the long throw-ins from the right with Delap operating down the left hand side and when he launched one into the box, Huth rose above his marker to get his head to it but his flick was fractionally too high.
Kiev continued to look menacing on the counter attack and Gusev was given too much freedom down the left from which he delivered a cross that evaded everyone, much to the relief of the City defenders who were backtracking.
The Ukrainians were growing in confidence and their increasing amount of possession was rewarded with an opening goal in the 28th minute.
Shevchenko and Yaramlenko linked up well as Kiev turned defence into attack swiftly and when Alyev tried his luck it deflected off the outstretched boot of Upson and squeezed past the desperate dive of Begovic to try and keep it out.
The Potters desperately tried to lift their game after that unfortunate setback but both they and the crowd were frustrated by Kiev's ability to keep the ball.
Things could have got worse when Shotton was caught in possession going forward and Gusev launched a counter attack from which Shevchenko was given acres of space on the left hand side of the box but his shot clipped the upright.
City were looking for a more positive start to the second half and they got it with two excellent opportunities to draw level immediately after the break.
Delap's astute pass found Palacios breaking into the box and although his first touch was not a good one, he still got in a shot which was well saved by Shovkovskiy.
Moments later, a long throw from Delap was only half cleared and Pennant latched onto it to fire a low shot goalbound only for Khacheridi to block on the line.
Those chances had lifted the crowd after the subdued atmosphere at the end of the first half, but the final ball let City down on occasions as they pressed forward.
City made their first change of the night when Fuller replaced Diao, meaning that Delap reverted to a central midfield role with Walters down the left.
Fuller had an immediate chance to burst into the box on one of his familiar runs, but he eventually ran into a wall of Kiev defenders and was crowded out.
City launched another attack down the right hand side as Shotton on the overlap pulled the ball back to Pennant whose cross was headed goalbound by Jones, but it didn't have sufficient power to trouble Shovkovskiy who saved moving to his right.
But nine minutes from time, it was a different story as Jones ficked the ball onto Pennant and then burst into the six yard box to power home a close range header.
City kept pushing forward and had a number of half chances, but deep into injury-time it took a brilliant save from Begovic to hold onto the point, diving to his left to keep a blistering shot from Yarmalenko which appeared to be creeping inside the post.
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