Routine victory for Stoke

by Tony Cuddihy , 03 November 2011

Stoke seem set to qualify for the next round of the Europa League as goals from Dean Whitehead and Peter Crouch gave them a 2-1 win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv.


A point against Dynamo Kiev at the Britannia Stadium on 1 December will secure their place in the last 32.

Stoke had their chances but it was a drab first half.

Robert Huth headed wide inside two minutes, while Andy Wilkinson blasted over from a Ryan Shotton cut-back and Kenwyne Jones was squeezed out as he bore down on goal.

Uri Cohen volleyed wide at the end of a rare Maccabi foray into opposition territory.

Whitehead's goal came after work from Jonathan Walters, who nudged Savo Pavicevic out of the way to allow the former Sunderland man in to shoot low past Barak Levy.

Crouch soon made it 2-0, tapping in a Whitehead cross after good work from Jones, before substitute Roberto Colautti grabbed a late, irrelevant consolation for the Israeli side.

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