A Leon Osman goal cancelled out Robert Huth's opener as hard-working Everton and Stoke shared a 1-1 draw.
Osman replies Huth opener
Hard-working Everton and Stoke shared a 1-1 draw in a physical battle at Goodison Park.
Tim Cahill should have put the Toffees ahead in the 16th minute but his header from close range was straight at Thomas Sorensen, while Ricardo Fuller did the same at the other end before stand-in Everton skipper Leon Osman then forced Sorensen into a good save late on.
In the second period, Stoke took the lead in the 50th minute when Robert Huth rose to head home a Matthew Etherington corner from close range to net his first goal for his new club.
But the Toffees were level within five minutes after Osman played a one-two with Johnny Heitinga before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed effort from the edge of the box which crashed into the net off the underside of the bar.
The draw ended a run of five successive victories for the Toffees, who made three changes to the side that won their Europa League match against BATE Borisov on Thursday.
Jo, Dan Gosling and Yakubu reverted to the bench to allow Heitinga, who was cup-tied in Europe, top scorer Louis Saha and Jack Rodwell into the starting line-up.
Stoke also made three changes from the side beaten at home to Manchester United last time out, with Glenn Whelan, Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson replaced by James Beattie, Fuller and Salif Diao.
Tony Hibbert reverted to right-back, having done exceptionally well as an emergency centre-back in Belarus, with Heitinga partnering Sylvain Distin.
Intent
Stoke were intent on attack, fielding former Everton striker Beattie with Fuller while Etherington took on Hibbert at every opportunity.
The winger's first cross saw Beattie outjump Leighton Baines before planting a firm header into Tim Howard's arms.
The long ball into the box was the main weapon of both sides, and Everton's response was a couple of efforts blocked from Saha and Cahill, before the Australian should have netted after 16 minutes.
Marouane Fellaini swung in a cross from the left, and Cahill ducked low for a header just six yards out, but Sorensen managed to clutch the effort at the second attempt.
Howard, faced with a similar downward header a minute later at the other end from Fuller, also struggled to hold the effort cleanly but kept it out.
Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov came more into the game on the left as the half wore on, and when he cut inside to fire in a rising shot, the ball crashed into Ryan Shawcross' arm but referee Andre Marriner turned down the penalty appeals as the Stoke central defender had not moved his arms from his side.
Everton began to dominate play and Fuller was booked for a 35th-minute tackle on Heitinga, while Rory Delap was lucky not to follow his colleague into the book when he tripped Baines in full flow.
Osman then produced a fine snapshot on the edge of the box which Sorensen saw late but did well to turn over the bar.
Diao was next to be booked in an increasingly niggly game, for a foul on Baines, with Heitinga lifting the resulting free-kick wide.
Second period
Stoke started the second period even more belligerently than the first, hounding Everton in possession.
And the Potteries side were ahead when Etherington's right-wing corner curled into the box and defender Huth soared above Cahill to power home his first goal since his £6million summer move from Middlesbrough.
But the lead lasted just five minutes as Heitinga came forward from the back and exchanged passes with Osman, who struck a fierce drive from the edge of the box which crashed into the net off the underside of the bar.
Bilyaletdinov saw a shot saved by Sorensen, while Fuller failed to trouble Howard with a low drive at the other end.
With 15 minutes left Everton sent on strikers Jo and Yakubu for midfielders Osman and Bilyaletdinov, with Hibbert taking the captain's armband. Stoke responded by replacing Diao with Whelan.
It was a bold ploy by Everton, but one which could see them caught on the break. But even after that change, they did not make a serious opportunity.
Fellaini and Shawcross were booked with four minutes left for a clash in the centre circle, before Stoke sent on Kitson for Fuller during injury-time.
The visitors were powering forward at the end looking for a winner - but neither side deserved to win a scrappy game.
| Everton |
Team Statistics |
Stoke City |
| 1 |
Goals |
1 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 11 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 6 |
Blocked Shots |
0 |
| 11 |
Corners |
4 |
| 9 |
Fouls |
16 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
4 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
3 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 78.1 |
Passing Success |
66.4 |
| 15 |
Tackles |
15 |
| 80 |
Tackles Success |
66.7 |
| 62.2 |
Possession |
37.8 |
| 58 |
Territorial Advantage |
42 |
|
