Potters’ comeback thwarted as Bluebirds advance on penalties

• Stoke City exit the FA Cup on penalties
• Rousing comeback saw Potters lead 3-2
• Koumas on losing side despite bagging brace

Stoke City’s FA Cup run ended in agonising fashion, as the Potters lost to Cardiff City on penalties after coming back from a two-goal deficit.

Although the Bluebirds raced into a two-goal first half lead, a Lewis Koumas brace brought the hosts level before hitting the front thanks to Lewis Baker’s clinical penalty. 

A deflected leveller from Rubin Colwill, his second strike of the match, took the tie into extra-time and ultimately spot-kicks, where the Bluebirds triumphed 4-2. 

Mark Robins made seven changes to the side that beat Hull City last weekend with both Nathan Lowe and Ali Al-Hamadi cup-tied and a further seven first team players out through injury.

Inside five minutes, Koumas thought he’d opened the scoring when he headed home following Emre Tezgel’s effort from close range, but the Wales international was adjudged offside.

Shortly afterwards, it was the visitors that made the breakthrough when Colwill fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the Potters’ penalty area.

City responded with a chance of their own when a deep corner from Bae Junho was headed back across goal by Tezgel, though Michael Rose’s header was claimed by Ethan Horvath.

André Vidigal then had a couple of opportunities to find an equaliser from the edge of the box, however, his curled efforts cutting in from either flank could not find the target.

The Bluebirds doubled their lead midway through the first half when Yousef Salech pounced on a mix-up in the City back-line to lift the ball over Jack Bonham and into the net.

Robins’ side pushed for a way back into the game, and five minutes before the half time whistle, Wouter Burger’s perfectly weighted through ball found Koumas in behind and the 19-year-old forward fired into the far corner.

The pair linked-up again moments after the restart, as Burger dummied Wilson-Esbrand’s throw-in to leave Koumas through along the byline, and the Liverpool loanee dropped his shoulder and stroked past Hovarth to level the scores.

The momentum had swung the way of the Potters, who had an opportunity to take the lead after Tezgel picked the pocket of Jesper Daland inside the box and was brought down by the visitors’ defender.  

Baker stepped up for the spot-kick and made no mistake, firing his effort into the bottom left corner out of the reach of Horvath.

The Bluebirds found an equaliser in the 68th minute when Colwill struck from range again after Bonham did well to deny Callum O’Dowda’s initial effort.

Substitute Joe Ralls was next to test Bonham from range, but the goalkeeper dived to his right to deny the visitors’ midfielder.

Burger then tried the spectacular when he set himself up for an overhead kick following a Wilson-Esbrand cross, but the effort fizzed agonisingly over the bar.

90 minutes could not separate the two sides as the game headed to extra-time for the second occasion in succession in this FA Cup run for the Potters.

In the 100th minute, Tezgel came close to finding a winner as he met Stevens’ corner and forced Horvath into a goalline save.

At the other end, the Bluebirds threatened from their own corner as Will Fish connected with Ralls’ centre, but his header was claimed by Bonham.

The last 15 minutes of the game proved to be a back-and-forth affair as both sides fought for the winner.

Will Alves saw his goal-bound effort deflected away by Rose, then Tezgel similarly had a goalbound attempt squeezed out for a corner after Bosun Lawal raced through and layed on a chance for the teenager.

The Potters’ best chance of extra-time came with ten minutes to play, as Favour Fawunmi, introduced for his debut after joining the Potters on Friday, played Burger through inside the box when the Dutch midfielder smashed his effort into the side netting.

The game was decided by penalties and, after Ralls and Tezgel converted to make the score 1-1, Robins’ side looked to be in the ascendancy when Selach lifted his attempt against the crossbar.

However, Tatsuki Seko and Rose saw their spot-kicks strike the post and saved respectively, meaning Colwill’s conversion sent the Bluebirds through to the Fifth Round.