Maynor Figueroa and Jonathan Walters jump for a header (Action Images/Paul Currie)
Just a couple of years ago nobody would have been really excited about a Wigan vs Stoke City match. The thought would be that Wigan would come out and shoot blanks while Stoke would just sit and play physical defense. As it happened, there was actually very little of that at the DW Stadium. Both teams played an energetic and entertaining game that speaks volumes about the rising quality of the Barclay's Premier League.
The action kicked off pretty much right away in the opening minutes as the home side pushed their way into the Stoke defensive third. In the 4th minute, Wigan man James McCarthy tried a shot in the center of the box that deflected off of Robert Huth's hand, resulting in a PK for Wigan. Shaun Maloney stepped up and sent the 'keeper in the wrong direction making it 1-0 to Wigan on five minutes.
There weren't a ton of clear cut chances that came out of the next half hour, but both sides were able to move the ball well, especially Wigan, who showed a lot of creativity. Stoke was more than up to the challenge though. After conceding the opening goal, Tony Pulis made a slight tactical adjustment. pretty much going three at the back, to try get some more pressure on the Wigan end. It started to pay dividends as the match wound toward halftime. In the 33rd minute American International Geoff Cameron found himself in some space just outside the box and took a rip at the goal. It was a solid strike, but just curved wide of the near post at the end. Then in the 38th minute he had a decent header off of a Charlie Adam free kick, but Wigan managed to block it and end the threat.
Stoke got their first equalizer in the same manner in which Wigan got their first goal. In the 40th minute, Maynor Figueroa was whistled for a handball in the box, and the Potters found themselves with a PK of their own. The Wigan 'keeper guessed right, but couldn't get down to Jonathan Walters' shot in time and the half ended with the sides tied at 1-1.
The second half stared off in cracking fashion. In the 49th minute Wigan tore up the pitch on a counter attack as Arouna Kone got on the end of a beautiful long ball and took it into the penalty area. After attracting a couple of Stoke defenders he slipped it over to a trailing Franco Di Santo who slotted home a beautiful finish to give Wigan the lead once again at 2-1.
The match proceeded at a frantic pace as Stoke went for the equalizer and Wigan looked to ice the match at home. They nearly did just that in the 66th minute. Maloney had a driven shot blocked, but it fell for Emmerson Boyce who took a rip at it but missed the near post. He really should have done better.
Six minutes later Stoke nearly made Wigan pay for the miss. Walters found himself open in front of goal with just enough space for a shot, but he mishit it and the ball trailed easily to Al Habsi in goal for Wigan. It didn't matter though, because in the 76th minute the Potters got their equalizer. Walters sent in a lopping cross after a long throw in that found the head of who else but Peter Crouch. The big man's header was spot on as it flew into the net to make the match 2-2 with 14 minutes to go. It was a prototypical Crouch goal.
From then on it was nearly all Stoke as they had two golden chances to steal all three points late. In the 83rd minute, Al Habsi made a neat save on Cameron Jerome, but it fell to Crouch who took a shot. The defense stepped in and covered, averting danger for the moment. In the 85th Al Habsi pulled a true wonder save out of his pocket to preserve the point. Charlie Adam sent in a nice free kick that appeared to be going to the Wigan 'keeper's left, but it took a deflection back to the right. With all of his momentum going to the left, he stuck his right hand and down and JUST managed to parry it away from the bottom corner. It was one of the most skillful saves I've seen in awhile. The match finished 2-2, which was about right. Both sides played very well and neither really deserved to lose.
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