Stoke City traveled to Spain looking to come away with a victory after their opening 1-1 draw at home to Schalke 04, but instead the Potters would have to settle for another draw against Málaga as the match ended 0-0. Chances in this game were few and far between as both sides were compact and disciplined defensively. Goalposts also played a big part in this game resulting in no goals scored. Málaga's Francisco Portillo was the first to find this out when his 12-yard chance in the 37th minute beat Stoke reserve keeper Thomas Sřrensen but hit the left post to deny the scoring opportunity. The only chances on goal Stoke would produce in the entire game both followed just before halftime in the 45th minute. The first started from a Matthew Etherington cross into the box which Maurice Edu headed from 10 yards out, but like Portillo, the American midfielder was denied his goal when the shot hit off the right post. Into stoppage time Kenwyne Jones got off a 15-yard bouncing volley, but the shot was not very threating to Málaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero. It would then take until the 90th minute for the next scoring chance for either side as Málaga's Marcos Angeleri took a long distance free kick that he sent into the box to which Perdro Morales redirected, but Sřrensen was up to the task of stopping the shot and a final whistle came seconds later. After the game, Stoke manager Mark Hughes commented saying, "We will have to go back to the drawing board on how to produce more scoring chances. Today, there were not enough quality opportunities to make anything happen besides the Edu shot." Now with one remaining preseason friendly left, Stoke will head back to the Britannia Stadium looking to break through with a win against Italian Serie A side Bologna.
Aug 1, 2013 - Málaga CF vs Stoke City
TEAM
1
2
SCORE
Málaga CF (-)
0
0
0
Stoke City (-)
0
0
0
Goals
None
Bookings
None
Substitutions
MAL - Juanmi/R. Santa Cruz 66'
MAL - J. Anor/P. Morales 77'
STO - W. Palacios/C. Adam 77'
STO - K. Jones/P. Crouch 77'
MAL - B. Anderson/M. El Hamdaoui 86'