In a thrilling Carabao Cup match, Stoke City hosted Fleetwood, the surprise team of the tournament, for an emotional game that almost slipped away from The Potters in the final moments.
However, thanks to a brilliant performance by Viktor Johansson in the penalty shootout, Stoke City secured the win after a 1-1 draw and advanced by winning on penalties.
READ MORE: Carabao Cup Match Preview for Stoke City
An exciting game for Stoke City with late concerns
Throughout the match, Stoke City dominated, taking a highly offensive approach from the start. By the end, they had 65% possession, clearly controlling the game. Despite several chances, the first half ended scoreless, and it wasn't until the 54th minute of the second half that Michael Rose found the back of the net, assisted by Sol Sidibé, giving Stoke City a 1-0 lead and delighting the fans at Bet365 Stadium.
Stoke City, managed by interim coach Ryan Shawcross following Steve Schumacher's dismissal, continued to dictate the pace of the game. But in the 90+1 minute, Rhyd Bennett equalized for Fleetwood, robbing The Potters of victory in regular time with a late 1-1 goal.
Johansson saves a third Town penalty to send City through to the last 16.
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) September 17, 2024
🔴⚪️: ❌✅✅❌
🐟: ❌❌❌✅ ❌
The penalty shootout did not start well for Fleetwood, who missed their first penalty. Stoke City's Tom Cannon also missed his first attempt. Fleetwood then missed their second penalty, while Emre Tezgel scored for Stoke. Fleetwood failed their third penalty, and Sol Sidibe capitalized for The Potters.
Fleetwood converted their fourth penalty, but Wouter Burger missed for Stoke. However, Fleetwood missed their fifth and final penalty, allowing Stoke City to win the shootout 2-1 and advance to the next round of the Carabao Cup.
In an emotional match full of late-game drama, Stoke City managed to clinch qualification, keeping their hopes alive in this tough competition as they dream of making a historic run.