Sheffield Wednesday 2-2 Stoke City
Owls fight from behind to draw against Potters
City got off to a quick start in the game as Afobe slammed his shot past a shook Dawson. Afobe doubled his tally twenty minutes in but Matias halved the deficit moments later. Wednesday equalised late thanks to a magnificent Barry Bannan free-kick.
Stoke City haven’t had the best starts to life in the Championship despite the plethora of Premier League quality which oozes through their squad. They have only picked up five points from their opening six league games. They lost 2-1 against West Brom in their previous outing.
Wednesday went into the international break on the back of three successive 2-1 wins over Millwall, Ipswich and Reading. Barry Bannan recently had his wonder-strike against Millwall named Championship Goal of the Month.
Stoke opened the scoring in the first few minutes. Mame Biram Diouf played the ball into ex-Owl loanee Benik Afobe’s path where the forward rifled his shot into the back of the net past Cameron Dawson.
City then went close to doubling their lead minutes later. Martina played the ball across to Tom Ince who shifted the ball onto his left foot before firing across the face of goal and just wide of the far post.
Diouf could have got himself on the scoresheet in the tenth minute. He tamely headed Ince’s corner into the ground and straight into the hands of Dawson.
Joey Pelupessy saw his volley, five minutes later, go high over the bar from a Bannan cross which was headed into his path by Martins Indi.
Lucas Joao’s shot, from the edge of the box, went just inches the bar and was followed by a moving minutes applause for Oliver Rains who sadly passed away this week. Rest in Peace Oliver.
Benik Afobe bagged his brace just after the twentieth minute mark. Afobe escaped the offside trap to poke the ball over an out-rushing Dawson to double their lead.
Wednesday instantly replied with a goal of their own and reduce the deficit. Bannan picked out the run of Fletcher who chested it down for Marco Matias to poke past England International Jack Butland.
Both sides kept the ball well without having many chances in between and soon after, the referee blew for half-time.
Wednesday started much brighter in the second half. Bannan’s cross was volleyed high into the air by Fletcher which perfectly set Pelupessy for an attempt at goal which he smashed over the crossbar.
Ten minutes after the restart. Tom Ince danced his way into the box but was met by the important challenge of Thorniley who sent it out for a corner. Steven Fletcher then blocked Peter Etebo’s acrobatic effort from nestling into the bottom corner.
On the hour mark, Joey Pelupessy made an excellent tackle on Allen to send the ball into the path of Reach who hammered his shot straight into the midriff of Jack Butland who held onto the effort.
Cameron Dawson then made an excellent save to deny Afobe his hat-trick. Liam Palmer headed Ince’s cross into the back of Afobe which caused the ball to deflect towards the bottom corner where Dawson dropped down quickly to push it wide of the target.
Moments later, Wednesday lost the ball on the edge of the box and the visitors countered in numbers. Martina’s cross fell to Diouf at the back stick but he saw his chance blocked by the body of Dawson and Etebo curled the follow up wide of the upright.
Matt Penney had a chance with fifteen minutes to go. Penney started his run from deep. He weaved his way down the left, played a one-two with Bannan, before driving the ball across goal which was parried away by the strong left hand of Butland.
Barry Bannan equalised with ten minutes remaining. Bannan floated his free-kick, just left of the centre, over the wall and in off the post. This was the Scotsman’s second goal of the campaign.
In stoppage time, former Barcelona youth product Bojan hit a free-kick over the bar from twenty-five yards out.
The referee blew for full-time with the scoreline at 2-2.
Attendance: 24,905
Goals: Matias (24’); Afobe (2’, 22’)
Sheffield Wednesday: Cameron Dawson, Liam Palmer, Tom Lees, Jordan Thorniley, Matt Penney, Joey Pelupessy (Atdhe Nuhiu), Barry Bannan, Adam Reach (Michael Hector), Marco Matias (Josh Onomah), Lucas Joao, Steven Fletcher
Unused Subs: Joe Wildsmith, Ashley Baker, Morgan Fox, Daniel Pudil
Stoke City: Jack Butland, Cuco Martina, Bruno Martins Indi, Ryan Shawcross, Eric Pieters, Tom Ince, Peter Etebo (Darren Fletcher), Joe Allen, Ryan Woods, Mame Diouf (Bojan Kr), Benik Afobe (Peter Crouch)
Unused Subs: Adam Federici, Saido Berahino, Tom Edwards, Ashley Williams
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