Stoke are on the brink of reaching the Europa League knockout stages after a 2-1 win at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Potters need just one point from last two games to qualify from group
Stoke are on the brink of reaching the Europa League knockout stages after easing to a 2-1 win away to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The Potters remain unbeaten in this season's competition and after taking their tally to 10 points from four games in Group E, they need just one more from the last two to reach the last 32 of a European competition for the first time.
Tony Pulis' men were comfortable for the bulk of proceedings, with Dean Whitehead giving them a deserved 51st-minute lead before laying on a second for substitute Peter Crouch 13 minutes later.
And although Maccabi substitute Roberto Colautti pulled one back at the start of stoppage time, there was not enough time for the Israeli outfit to maintain their home record.
Stoke won the reverse fixture 3-0 a fortnight ago but Maccabi went into the match unbeaten in 12 European games at Bloomfield Stadium, a run stretching back to their defeat by Bayern Munich in 2004.
Changes
The hosts, bottom of Group E with one point, seemed resigned to the fact they would be heading out of Europe as they blooded a handful of youngsters.
Stoke made nine changes to Monday's starting line-up against Newcastle, the first of three games in seven days, but it was by no means a reserve side.
Those coming in included Danny Higginbotham, making his first appearance after seven months out with cruciate ligament damage, and Robert Huth, who headed an early Whitehead corner wide.
Stoke could not maintain their bright start, though, and the next 20 minutes brought only a Kenwyne Jones volley wide.
The hosts tested Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen with a 22-yard effort by Moshe Lugasi but for all their possession, they posed the Potters few problems in the final third.
Stoke had two chances to go ahead late in the first half, when Ryan Shotton's shot was deflected against a post by Salif Diao before home keeper Barak Levy saved well low to his left from Jon Walters' free header.
Heavy rain
There was heavy rain before kick-off and during the second half but Stoke's small but vocal band of travelling fans had something to cheer shortly after the interval.
Diao and Andy Wilkinson lofted the ball back towards the edge of the Maccabi box, where Walters was challenged, but Whitehead burst onto the loose ball and managed to slide the ball beyond Levy from a tight angle.
Maccabi immediately went in search of an equaliser, with Lugasi and Moussa Konate both firing in long-range efforts.
But Jones then found Whitehead in the right channel and he squared for Crouch, who had just replaced Walters, to turn the ball in from six yards.
Crouch volleyed wide moments later while Konate and Colautti both directed tame shots too close to Sorensen.
The home fans were given slight hope when Colautti's glancing header went in off the far post from Shiran Yeini's inswinging cross, but Stoke managed to take their European record this season to seven wins and one draw ahead of the visit of Dynamo Kiev next time out.
Besiktas' 1-0 win over Dynamo put them second, four points behind Stoke, with Dynamo a point further back in third.
| Maccabi Tel Aviv |
Team Statistics |
Stoke City |
| 1 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 5 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
7 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 4 |
Corners |
5 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
14 |
| 5 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 83.9 |
Passing Success |
77.9 |
| 15 |
Tackles |
13 |
| 73.3 |
Tackles Success |
46.2 |
| 63.5 |
Possession |
36.5 |
| 59 |
Territorial Advantage |
41 |
| 579 |
Total Passes |
321 |
| 14 |
Total Crosses |
19 |
| 155 |
Lost Balls |
135 |
| 51 |
Recoveries |
41 |
|
