Chico Flores’s 52nd minute header allowed Swansea City to claim their second straight result under player-coach Garry Monk, the 1-1 result at Stoke City lifting the team into the Premier League’s top half. The draw also Stoke’s unbeaten run to three games, with a first half goal from Peter Crouch allowing the Potters to move three points clear of the drop.
Crouch opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he put home the rebound of a Peter Odemwingie shot sent off Asmir Begovivc’s right upright. Swansea, controlling possession throughout, equalized through Flores after play following an early second half corner. Close calls late from Wilfried Bony and Jonathan De Guzman were turned away by Ryan Shawcross and Begovic, leaving the teams on even footing come full-time.
The result gives Swansea four points from two games after Michael Laudrup’s departure, moving last year’s League Cup winners 10th in the Premier League. Stoke, having claimed five points in their last three games, sit 14th.
Swansea’s control of possession left the home side seeking their chances in transition, with the Potters’ luck coming good in the 17th minute. After Charlie Adam forced his way through the Swans half, Crouch was able to find Odemwingie in the right of the penalty area. The Nigerian’s far post shot nailed Michel Vorm’s right upright before careening back to Crouch, who put the rebound off a Stoke defender and into Swansea’s goal.
A chippy first half that left Swans without a shot on target reached half-time with that one-goal margin, but only after players had gone face-to-face multiple times as Swansea attempted to deal with Stoke’s physical play. The most prominent incident came in the 36th minute, with Ashley Williams yellow carded after taking exception to how Adam was defending Nathan Dyer. Having kicked at Dyer from behind twice in a matter of seconds, the Stoke midfielder also went into the book.
Early in the second half, Swansea’s monopoly of possession finally paid off. On the second ball in off a corner kick, Pablo Hernández had what appeared to be a far post shot flicked on by Flores, the Swans defender beating Begovic inside the far post from seven yards out.
Swans continued to control the ball through the remainder of the match, coming close to a winner in the 77th minute when Dyer found Bony alone in front of goal. A moment’s hesitation from the Ivorian allowed Begovic to come out and get a hand on the shot, slowing the chance down enough for Shawcross to clear it off the line.
In the 86th minute, a swerving chance from long distance by De Guzman forced Begovic into a leaping save on what turned out to be the match’s final shot on goal. Swans finished the match with 64 percent possession and a 13-7 edge in shots, but Stoke would put four tries on target to Swansea’s three.
LINEUPS
Stoke City: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Whelan (Guidetti 68'), Adam; Odemwingie, Walters (N’Zonzi 56'), Arnautovic (Assaidi 56'); Crouch
Goals: Crouch (17')
Swansea City: Vorm; Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies; Cañas, Britton (Amat 90'); Dyer (Emnes 82'), Hernández (De Guzman 75'), Routledge; Bony
Goals: Chico (51')
