Aston Villa 2-2 Stoke City: Tammy Abraham and Jonathan Kodjia earn Villa draw
17th December 2018
Tammy Abraham slots home his 12th goal of the season from the penalty spot
Aston Villa and Stoke City shared the spoils in a pulsating draw which saw the home side twice come from behind to seal a point.
After a goalless but entertaining first half, Stoke scored with the first meaningful action of the second, when Joe Allen burst into the box ahead of John McGinn to drill home.
Villa responded well and Jonathan Kodjia, who had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes, was fouled in the area, giving Villa a penalty. Tammy Abraham stepped up to calmly slot in his 12th goal of the season.
But Villa were only on level terms for five minutes after James McClean was tripped in the box, giving Stoke a penalty of their own. Benik Afobe beat Orjan Nyland from 12 yards to put The Potters back in front.
Substitute Kodjia met a Yannick Bolasie cross to head home and make it 2-2 in the 84th minute, forcing both sides to settle for a point at a rain-drenched Villa Park.
Stoke had the better of the early chances with Villa goalkeeper Nyland twice called into action. In the sixth minute he denied Allen from Tom Ince's cutback and five minutes later, saved well from McClean's long-range effort.
But Villa then came back into the game with Butland tested when an inswinging corner looked to be dipping into the net. The England goalkeeper also saved smartly shortly afterwards when he tipped over a well-struck free kick from Conor Hourihane.
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After Allen's opener, Villa responded well to going behind with striker Abraham forcing Butland into a good save and in-form Anwar El-Ghazi close to connecting with an Alan Hutton cross.
Stoke almost doubled their lead on the hour mark with a similar move to their goal, but this time the influential Allen fired over.
Kodjia replaced El-Ghazi in the 66th minute and was quickly involved as he was fouled in the penalty area, with Abraham converting the spot-kick.
But they were unable to build on the goal as Stoke were awarded a penalty of their own just five minutes later, which Afobe tucked away.
With time running out, it was Kodjia who had the last word as he headed home Bolasie's cross to send the Villa fans into raptures.
The result leaves Villa three points off the promotion places in eighth and Stoke three places behind in 11th.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith told BBC WM 95.6:
"I think it was a deserved point for both teams. I didn't think there was an awful lot in that game today and the conditions probably levelled out the home advantage.
"It made it a scrappy game and we were a little sloppy. We got into really good areas in the first half but our delivery wasn't quite there. We spoke about getting balls in behind their centre halves but we gave them heading practice really.
"Credit to the lads, Kodjia has come on and won the penalty and scored an equaliser at the end. I think it was a fair result.
"We know we've got goals in us but we weren't creating too many clear cut chances. People raise their game when they play us as that's as well as I've seen Stoke play."
Stoke City assistant boss Callum Davidson told BBC Radio Stoke:
"It's one of of those, we're leading and think we played well enough, we got in good areas to see the game off and disappointed with that. We're disappointed with the second goal.
"We've come to Villa who are tipped for promotion and we showed we are capable of going all the way.
"Draws keep momentum going, we need to start turning them into wins though, we're on a good run, but we need to be a bit more clinical and composed in the final third and then defensively see the game out."
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Aston Villa
1Nyland
27El Mohamady
4Tuanzebe
5Chester
21Hutton
6WhelanSubstituted forHoganat 85'minutes
22El GhaziSubstituted forKodjiaat 66'minutesBooked at 82mins
14Hourihane
7McGinnBooked at 90mins
11Bolasie
18Abraham
9Hogan
16Bree
17Davis
26Kodjia
31Bunn
38O'Hare
39Revan
Stoke
1Butland
23Martina
17ShawcrossBooked at 72mins
5Williams
3PietersBooked at 72mins
4Allen
38Woods
22Clucas
7InceBooked at 31minsSubstituted forCrouchat 89'minutes
19BerahinoSubstituted forAfobeat 74'minutes
11McCleanBooked at 52mins
9Afobe
15Martins Indi
24Fletcher
25Crouch
26Campbell
30Edwards
32Federici
Referee:
Peter Bankes
Attendance:
36,999
Match Stats
Home TeamAston VillaAway TeamStoke
Possession
Home57%
Away43%
Shots
Home9
Away16
Shots on Target
Home5
Away8
Corners
Home8
Away3
Fouls
Home10
Away16
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Aston Villa 2, Stoke City 2.Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Stoke City 2.
Posted at 90'+6'
Alan Hutton (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 90'+6'
Foul by Peter Crouch (Stoke City).BookingPosted at 90'+5'
John McGinn (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card.Posted at 90'+5'
Foul by John McGinn (Aston Villa).Posted at 90'+5'
Benik Afobe (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 90'+4'
Foul by Yannick Bolasie (Aston Villa).Posted at 90'+4'
Sam Clucas (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 90'+3'
Attempt saved. James McClean (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cuco Martina.Posted at 90'
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Jonathan Kodjia.SubstitutionPosted at 89'
Substitution, Stoke City. Peter Crouch replaces Tom Ince.Posted at 85'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.SubstitutionPosted at 85'
Substitution, Aston Villa. Scott Hogan replaces Glenn Whelan.Posted at 84'
Delay in match Erik Pieters (Stoke City) because of an injury.
Goal!Posted at 84'
Goal! Aston Villa 2, Stoke City 2. Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yannick Bolasie with a cross.Posted at 83'
Attempt missed. Joe Allen (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.BookingPosted at 82'
Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.Posted at 82'
Foul by Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa).Posted at 82'
James McClean (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!Posted at 78'
Goal! Aston Villa 1, Stoke City 2. Benik Afobe (Stoke City) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.Posted at 77'
Penalty conceded by Ahmed El Mohamady (Aston Villa) after a foul in the penalty area.Posted at 77'
Penalty Stoke City. James McClean draws a foul in the penalty area.Posted at 76'
Foul by Yannick Bolasie (Aston Villa).Posted at 76'
Tom Ince (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.Posted at 75'
John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 75'
Foul by Sam Clucas (Stoke City).SubstitutionPosted at 74'
Substitution, Stoke City. Benik Afobe replaces Saido Berahino.
Goal!Posted at 73'
Goal! Aston Villa 1, Stoke City 1. Tammy Abraham (Aston Villa) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.BookingPosted at 72'
Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card.BookingPosted at 72'
Erik Pieters (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.Posted at 71'
Penalty Aston Villa. Jonathan Kodjia draws a foul in the penalty area.Posted at 71'
Penalty conceded by Erik Pieters (Stoke City) after a foul in the penalty area.Posted at 67'
Axel Tuanzebe (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 67'
Foul by Saido Berahino (Stoke City).SubstitutionPosted at 66'
Substitution, Aston Villa. Jonathan Kodjia replaces Anwar El Ghazi.Posted at 66'
Anwar El Ghazi (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 66'
Foul by Cuco Martina (Stoke City).Posted at 64'
John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Posted at 64'
Foul by Erik Pieters (Stoke City).
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Source: bbc.com