Million Manhoef celebrates his equaliser for Stoke against Norwich
Million Manhoef’s equaliser stretched Stoke’s unbeaten run to three games and denied resurgent Norwich a place in the top six.
The Dutch winger curled in a lovely goal in the sixth minute of added time in the first half to peg back the Canaries, who had been dominant to that point.
Viktor Johansson had kept the home side in contention with brilliant saves from Marcelino Nunez and Kenny McLean, but Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side took the lead through Croatian Ante Crnac, with his first goal in English football.
The Canaries had won three of their previous four games, scoring 12 goals in the process, but had to weather a Stoke storm in the opening stages of the second half.
Both teams had grounds for optimism going into the game, with Thorup’s side heading in the right direction after a poor start to the season and the Potters hammering Portsmouth 6-1 in their last home game.
It was the Canaries who were on the front foot for most of the first half, although goalkeeper George Long, deputising for the injured Angus Gunn, had to be sharp to keep out Stoke striker Tom Cannon as he got in behind the visitors’ defence in the third minute.
Norwich penned their opponents back after that and when Nunez stole into the penalty area to meet Anis Ben Slimane’s pinpoint ball and volleyed goalwards, Sweden international Johansson showed fine reflexes to hurl himself to his right and push the ball away.
Moments later McLean rose unchallenged at a corner and did everything right, finding power and downward direction in his header, only to find Johansson this time using his left hand to palm away.
Norwich suffered an injury blow as Nunez had to be helped off but his replacement Oscar Schwartau had an inadvertent part in the opening goal as his shot ricocheted off the head of teammate Josh Sargent and fell for Crnac to fire into the ground and past Johansson in an instant.
Stoke also had to reshuffle as Wouter Burger was forced off, but out of nothing they drew level as a cross from the left found its way to Manhoef lurking on the right flank and he cut inside and expertly found the far corner.
Heavy Stoke pressure followed after the break, with Long denying Brighton loanee Andrew Moran, while Callum Doyle forayed forward and fired into the side netting at the other end.
The result allowed Blackburn - who beat Swansea 1-0 - to leapfrog Norwich, who remain seventh, while Stoke are 19th, three points above the relegation zone.
Post-match reaction
Stoke head coach Narcis Pelach told BBC Radio Stoke:
“It was two teams playing head to head, both being very brave, us with the press and them with the ball.
“It was a very good football game which the fans enjoyed and I’m pleased with my players because the effort, commitment and body language was very good at times with the ball so a point was good for both teams.
“The level of intensity we invested in that game was massive and the players in the 80th minute kept going, pressing, pressing, pressing because Norwich are a very good ball-possession side.
“I now Norwich very well. Last season they reached the play-offs and I expect them to be there again this season as well, so it’s a good point. The dressing room is disappointed because they wanted more, which is really good to see.”
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk:
“I’m pleased with our first half performance, which was really, really solid. We dominated the game and created the chances we needed, but then in the last five minutes of the half and in the second half became too open.
“I tried to tell the players (at half-time) to imagine it was 0-0 and go back to before we scored and how the feeling was, but we didn’t succeed. We had to defend too many crosses, direct passes and corner kicks.
“I would have loved three points but looking at the game maybe one point is OK.
“It’s never ideal to lose a key player and (Nunez) is a key player. He makes chances for us and is important in the early part of the build-up.
