NBC on Yahoo SportsPremier League Highlights: Hull City 1-1 Stoke City, Visitors equalize late against 10-man Hull
Hull City went down to 10-men inside 15 minutes, but their hard-fought defending earned them a point as Stoke City were only able to draw level with seven minutes remaining in the match.
Nikica Jelavic scored just before the break against the run of play for the home side down a man, and Stoke struggled to finish until they finally grabbed a goal towards the end of the match.
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Early on Hull City maintained good possession, and all Stoke could do was consistently foul during the home side’s build up play.
However, that pressure from Stoke earned them respite early on, not in the form of a goal but instead in a man advantage.
With Stoke all over the Hull players on the ball, James Chester got a horrifically weak back-pass from Jake Livermore, and with Glenn Whelan giving chase, Chester stuck a leg out and chopped down Whelan, a clear last man foul and rightly earning a straight red on 14 minutes.
It was incredibly unlucky for the 25-year-old defender, who will certainly have some postmatch words for his midfield teammates, who hung him out to dry with terrible play under pressure.
Up a man early on, Stoke powered forward and built chances. After a scrum in front of goal, the ball dribbled out to Erik Pieters who blasted a shot over the bar from a tight angle after 24 minutes.
Following the red card, Hull struggled to get the ball out of their own half, but they put together their first attack in a while on 40 minutes and it bore fruit against the run of play.
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Tom Huddlestone blew by new addition Bojan Krkic as he pushed towards the penalty area, and blasted a shot from distance before he reached the 18-yard box. It was a dangerous low shot, and Asmir Begovic could only touch it wide of the post, but before it reached the end line Nikica Jelavic was there to tap it into the back of the net.
After the halftime break, Stoke continued with much of the possession, but their finishing also continued to be poor. Their first shot on target of the match came in the 52nd minute when a low shot by Ryan Shawcross off a set-piece was well saved down low by Allan McGregor.
Charlie Adam tried his luck from long range but McGregor tipped over the bar, and as play continued to frustrate Stoke, Diouf couldn’t put his shot on net from close range after a combo play by by Peter Crouch and Peter Odemwingie.
Crouch had his first go with 10 minutes left in regulation, but after settling a long ball in the box, he couldn’t control his turn-and-shoot volley and it escaped well over the bar.
Stoke pressed and pressed and pressed against 10-man Hull and they finally picked up the equalizer. Phil Bardsley ripped a volley that crashed into the ground and then bounded over McGregor. The ball came off the post and hit the unsuspecting goalkeeper, and Ryan Shawcross was the man to tap in the rebound.
Hull boss Steve Bruce accosted the referee for not giving a throw in the right way just before the goal, but it was a deserved equalizer for the visitors who had struggled to finish their possession and Hull struggled to defend on the chance.
They will be disappointed to only earn a point, and after a high water mark finish in the club’s Premier League history, they have just a single point in their first two matches.
Hull City, meanwhile, will cherish their point – the fourth of their season – after having lost midweek in the Europa League and with the squad somewhat thinned.
