Premier League thriller: Robert Huth of Stoke City robs Sunderland
Steve Bruce brought Sunderland to Britannia hoping to close the gap in on Tottenham Hotspurs. Sunderland started the game 5th on the table and Stoke City on 11th. One encouraging fact for the home team was that, in the last five Premier League meetings between these two sides, no team had been able to score an away goal. These stats meant that the Black Cats were in for some really hard work.
Stoke manager http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ricardo-Fuller-c30989, was absent for being on leave due to some family reasons.
Sunderland entered the game with a lone striker in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fraizer-Campbell-c13904, went missing through injuries.
The first half got underway with the home team looking to take an early advantage but Carew’s effort was off target. On the other hand, Sunderland launched an attack through http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kieran-Richardson-c20946 pounced on the opportunity that gave the visitors an early advantage when the game was in the second minute. This was Richardson’s fourth goal in three Premier League matches.
Stoke responded with one or two runs down the middle but Sunderland managed to clear. The Potters were looking to win set pieces to allow their giant defenders to leap high in search of an equalizer. The game had a good pace to it and both teams kept on making runs. The home side got a fantastic chance in the 23rd minute but one of those giants in the back line, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rory-Delap-c31779’s free kick that created havoc in the Sunderland’s box.
The home fans started chanting and pushing the Potters in anticipation of the second but the half ended on level terms for both the teams.
The second half gave the fans everything to cheer for. It was fast and feisty and promised goals. Just like the first half, the visitors went into the lead again on the 48th minute mark through Gyan’s strike. Stoke went behind for the second time in the game and notched up the pace to net in an equalizer. The game continued in the middle of the pitch as both looked to surge forward but the chances were hard to come by.
Suddenly, Stoke came running towards the Sunderland goal and launched an attack. Delap’s shoot was ricocheted for a corner by a Bardsley header. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jordan-Henderson-c19102 got booked.
Pennant’s free kick in the 82nd minute earned Stoke a well-deserved equalizer which took http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Robert-Huth-c31243’s fortunate thigh before going into the net. It became all square again with just over five minutes remaining.
The game entered the four minutes injury time as both teams pressed for the winner. The Potters got the free kick in the 93rd minute and Pennant’s kick was helped in, once again by Huth, to mark an amazing comeback. The victory had been worked out for Stoke City, raising their ranking among the top half of the table, while Sunderland stays sixth.
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