STOKE CITY AND Leicester City shared a 2-2 draw at the bet365 Stadium for a third season in succession after veteran striker Peter Crouch came off the bench to salvage a point for the hosts.
Mark Hughes’ men avoided a third defeat in four Premier League outings despite twice falling behind – Vicente Iborra’s maiden Leicester goal breaking the deadlock before Riyad Mahrez found a second-half response to Xherdan Shaqiri’s fine 39th-minute equaliser.
Claude Puel looked on course for two wins out of two at the start of his Leicester tenure but will have been frustrated to see the rangy Crouch steal into space at the near post to nod home Shaqiri’s left-wing corner – the former England international’s 15th top-flight goal as a substitute.
Stoke almost snatched it in the final minute through Kurt Zouma but they had to settle for a point, leaving them four above third-bottom Everton on 12 points, with Leicester one better in 10th ahead of the remaining weekend fixtures.
Shinji Okazaki got his feet in a mess as he failed to connect with Demarai Gray’s chipped cross to the back post with 20 minutes played.
The Japan international got up gingerly from his tumble but there was a man on the field in worse physical condition – referee Robert Madley, who was forced to make way for fourth official Jon Moss due to a calf injury.
Just before the half hour, Stoke forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting latched on to Ramadan Sobhi’s throughball and shifted inside past Harry Maguire before shooting too close to goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Leicester made the most of that let-off by taking the lead in the 33rd minute – Iborra reacting sharply to crash a half-volley past Jack Butland when Maguire nodded down Mahrez’s right-wing corner.
The same routine almost worked moments later from the opposite flank and Stoke were rocking as Butland made a superb reaction save to deny Okazaki from Gray’s cross.
Gray supplied the ammunition when Iborra powered the resulting short corner over – the hosts’ approach to marking again somewhat negligent.
As such, Stoke’s beautifully crafted equaliser came hugely against the run of play.
Choupo-Moting clipped a nonchalant pass through Maguire’s legs and Shaqiri guided a left-footed finish past the onrushing Schmeichel, finding the far corner with similar style.
The lively back-and-fourth resumed early in the second half, with Butland pushing over a drive from Mahrez that carried late dip and swerve.
Gray and Mahrez continued to bring greater devilment to the Leicester attack and the wingers combined in the 53rd minute for the Algeria international to arrow a shot narrowly past the far post.
Midfielders on both sides were finding themselves increasingly bypassed as the action streamed up and down, although Stoke’s Joe Allen tore into the box and was unable to convert Choupo-Moting’s cutback.
Schmeichel then saved impressively to deny Ryan Shawcross from a 59th-minute corner. In keeping with the contest, it prompted a goal at the other end.
Wilfred Ndidi punted forward in a challenge with Mame Biram Diouf and Mahrez collected the loose ball on the right, shrugging off Eric Pieters’ feeble challenge before blasting a shot underneath Butland.
It would have marked a damaging reverse for Hughes on the back of Bournemouth’s 2-1 win at this ground last month but Crouch had other ideas in the 73rd minute – leading this fixture towards a now familiar conclusion.
Zouma almost stole the points when he met another Shaqiri corner deep into stoppage time but Schmeichel sprung to his right to save with the final act of the match.
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This stinks of “Jobs for the Boys” to b honest. Has Micko done much at underage/schools/club level (genuine question)?
Denis.List’s his experience right there in the article. Leinster have made a similar appointment with Cullen next season
And Cullen will be working with the Senior squad, Micko is looking after the A side.
Micko hopefully can pass on his great technical knowledge especially lineout work. As you say thou the back’s coach appointment is the crucial one
With POC still in situ ,it’s really hard to see what MOD could possibly bring after a stint coaching at schools level. This smacks of a very Munster job for one of the boys
Not a fan of players that r just retired nd then fall in coaching same players….can cloud decisions., for example is mick goin to recommend a player that he was great friends with to be dropped if his form is poor….???
He is retired 2 seasons at this stage. A big turnover of the player’s at munster since then.
He is retired 2 seasons at this stage. A big turnover of the player’s at munster since then.
Yea retired two years but not too many guys he wouldnt have trained or played with.It could be a great appointment but personally I wouldnt agree.
The impressive Rob Penney was shafted by the Munster Rugby board in order to make way for their good old boy, Anthony Foley, to become head coach; who in turn is intent on employing his good old boys instead of seeking the direct input of those with an enlightened, outside perspective. Group-think will now prevail.
Munster will be the big loser because Foley won’t have the same progressive-minded outlook and plan that Penney has. Munster will regress into their shell under Anthony Foley, and the slack will be compensated for by utter blarney from Foley and the media.
As a Leinster fan I hope your wrong.
If insider knowledge points to foley knowing something that mod can bring then there’s nothing wrong with appointing the right man for the job. If he’s giving his old pal a leg up it will fall apart along with his own career.
I don’t believe Anthony foley wants to throw away his carreer to give his mate a job.
Penney wasnt shafted.
Micko is looking after the a’s. Not first team. Might have little to do with the seniors.
Must be a pisser for Penny to see next years coaching ticket been lined up , could this be announced by Munster after Pennys gone ..
They let the cat out of the bag early enough this year bout him moving. Why should nexus years coaching ticket be any different? I’m sure he doesn’t hold a grudge.
Hope I’m wrong but has a ” jobs for the boys” ring to it
Micko being linked to the A squad hints fairly strongly that Ian costello could be the backs coach for the seniors.
this time last year there was howls about the fact that not one province had a native head-coach, now there’s howls when a native is appointed head coach & opts to select another native to be part of his coaching team?
Micko was known as a top-notch lineout analyst in his playing days, he had a very large part to play in the strength of the munster lineout in the past as he analysed the opposition lineouts & ran those patterns in training.