Norwich City 1 Stoke City 1: Butland keeps Neil´s men at bay

Stoke City remain without a win in the Premier League this season after being held to a 1-1 draw at Norwich City on Saturday.

Mark Hughes’ side had claimed their first point of the campaign last weekend courtesy of a fine comeback to draw 2-2 at Tottenham, and took the lead early at Carrow Road. 

Striker Mame Biram Diouf, scorer of a late equaliser at White Hart Lane, was on target again as he turned home a cross from debutant and record signing Xherdan Shaqiri.

But the visitors failed to build on that opening goal and Norwich levelled in the 28th minute thanks to captain Russell Martin.

Defender Martin tied things up with a low effort and Alex Neil’s men had a number of opportunities to record a second straight win following a 3-1 success at Sunderland.

The hosts piled on the pressure in the second half, but Stoke, aided by a string of superb saves from goalkeeper Jack Butland, held on to claim a share of the spoils.

Shaqiri made his bow having completed a suspension picked up while playing in Italy and the Switzerland international did not need long to make an impact as he set up the opening goal with a fine delivery in the 11th minute.
 
The former Inter winger whipped in a free-kick from the right that Diouf stooped to head into the bottom-left corner.
 
Both teams were given the first of two drinks breaks in the 25th minute owing to the energy-sapping heat and the stoppage appeared to benefit an unchanged Norwich side as the hosts levelled matters almost immediately after the resumption.
 
Martin was denied by a fine save from Butland following a good cross from Nathan Redmond, but the ball was worked back into the box and the unmarked skipper promptly slotted the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs from close range.
 
And seven minutes before half-time Norwich went close to completing the turnaround as Robbie Brady curled a free-kick narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Norwich continued to dictate matters after the interval, with Cameron Jerome and Wes Hoolahan both spurning great chances to score before Graham Dorrans saw an effort turned round the post by Butland.

Butland came to the rescue again in the 61st minute to deny Redmond with a brilliant finger-tip save before thwarting Dorrans and Jerome in the final minutes.

And there was yet more drama in injury time as Stoke forward Joselu lashed over the crossbar after the ball fell to him following a free-kick, before Bradley Johnson did the same at the other end and Butland tipped a Jerome header above the frame of goal.