Aston Villa 2 Stoke 2 - Report

Substitute Jonathan Kodjia headed home their second equaliser with six minutes remaining to deny the Potters victory at Villa Park.

Joe Allen had fired the visitors in front early in the second half before Tammy Abraham levelled from the spot.

Former Wolves man Benik Afobe looked to have sealed the points with a penalty of his own before Kodjia struck.

Analysis

The result keeps Villa eighth in the Championship, though they are now just three points behind the top six.

This result, in truth, is not the one most supporters would have wanted or anticipated prior to kick-off.

But ultimately it was a point gained as Stoke did a largely excellent job of neutralising a Villa attack which had plundered nine goals in their previous two home games.

The hosts, meanwhile, were guilty of conceding two completely avoidable goals, the second when Ahmed Elmohamady needlessly tripped James McClean in the box.

McClean, the former Albion winger, had also set up Allen for the opener early in the second half following sloppy work from Alan Hutton.

Kodjia, who came off the bench midway through the second half, ultimately provided Villa’s spark, winning the penalty from which Abraham fired the first leveller before getting the second himself.

The two changes to Villa’s line-up from the 2-2 draw at Albion came as no surprise, with both Jack Grealish and Neil Taylor missing out through injury.

Glenn Whelan and Elmohamady were, as expected, the men to replace them.

The previous two fixtures at Villa Park had seen a total of 16 goals scored and the number would have quickly increased were it not for home keeper Orjan Nyland.

He was first on hand to deny Allen from close range at the near post after a well worked move from the visitors had carved open the Villa defence.

Nyland’s second save, from McClean, was rather less convincing but did allow his team to hack clear.

Villa, so electric in attack over recent weeks, were finding it tough to break down an organised visiting defence.

Their most threatening moments in the first-half came from set pieces, with Potters keeper Jack Butland alert to tip a Conor Hourihane corner over the bar just as it was threatening to creep under.

Butland then did the same to the Republic of Ireland international’s well struck free-kick.

Villa’s defence, having come under early pressure, saw out the remainder of the opening half with relatively few alarms.

Yet the opening goal, when it did arrive within two minutes of the restart, was entirely of their own making.

Hutton appeared to have time to clear but dawdled, allowing McClean to block and deliver a low cross which Allen, arriving late, slammed into the roof of the net.

Villa needed a spark of inspiration and Tammy Abraham, who had experienced a quiet afternoon, tried to deliver it with a shot from distance which Butland beat away.

Bolasie then missed the home side’s best chance of the game to that point when he drilled wide after being involved in an excellent move with Abraham and John McGinn.

Stoke remained a threat and Allen came close to adding a second when he fired over from a Tom Ince cross.

But with 17 minutes remaining, Villa finally found a way through. Kodjia, on for Anwar El Ghazi, was hauled down by Erik Pieters and Abraham coolly sent Butland the wrong way from the spot for his 12th of the season.

The initiative now seemed to be with Villa but within five minutes, Elmohamady handed it right back to Stoke.

The experienced full-back first allowed McClean to get past him and then compounded the error by tripping his man in the box.

Afobe, who has replaced Berahino just moments before, placed his penalty into the bottom corner and beyond Nyland’s despairing dive.

Villa were now facing a test of character but responded with another leveller, Kodjia arriving at the far post to head home Bolasie’s cross.

Key Moments

47 - GOAL Joe Allen fires Stoke in front, arriving late in the box to slam home James McClean’s low cross.

73 - GOAL Tammy Abraham brings Villa level from the spot, after Erik Pieters hauls down Jonathan Kodjia in the box.

78 - GOAL Benik Afobe restores Stoke’s lead, firing home from the spot after Ahmed Elmohamady trips James McClean.

84- GOAL Kodjia puts Villa back on level terms again, arriving at the far post to head home Yannick Bolasie’s cross.

Teams

Villa (4-3-3): Nyland, Elmohamady, Tuanzebe, Chester, Hutton, McGinn, Whelan (Hogan 84), Hourihane, El Ghazi (Kodjia 66), Abraham, Bolasie Subs not used: Revan, Bree, O'Hare, Davis, Bunn (gk).

Stoke (4-5-1): Butland, Martina, Shawcross ©, Williams, Pieters, Ince (Crouch 89), Clucas, Woods, Allen, McClean, Berahino (Afobe 74) Subs not used: Martins Indi, Fletcher, Campbell, Edwards, Federici (gk).