Stoke City and Mame Biram Diouf ended lengthy
goal droughts but could only earn a point in a 2-2
Premier League draw at Bournemouth, who were
fortunate not to have Harry Arter sent off.
A Lys Mousset own goal had the visitors in front by
the break at the Vitality Stadium, Eddie Howe's
men levelling against the run of play through
Junior Stanislas in the 62nd minute.
Diouf's scrappy 73rd-minute finish, his first
Premier League goal for 12 months, looked set to
be the winner, only for a late Ryan Shawcross own
goal from Max Gradel's header and Joshua King's
touch forcing the spoils to be shared.
The result leaves the Cherries 10th, while Mark
Hughes' side are a point worse off in 13th spot.
Bournemouth have another home game coming up
against Burnley in the penultimate round of the
league campaign next Saturday, while Stoke play
host to Arsenal on the same day.
It took until the 22nd minute for a clear sight of
goal to arrive, Adam Smith striking the post after
good work by King and Stanislas down the right for
Bournemouth.
The hosts were lucky to still have 11 men on the
pitch when Arter was inexplicably only shown a
yellow card for a wild lunge on Joe Allen, who
fortunately escaped unscathed.
Stoke took the lead in the 33rd minute with their
first away goal since January, the unfortunate
Mousset inadvertently directing Marko Arnautovic's
corner into the back of the Cherries' net for an own
goal on his first Premier League start.
Stoke should have doubled their lead a minute
before the hour mark, Xherdan Shaqiri heading
Allen's cross over the bar from close range.
They were punished for that wastefulness three
minutes later, Stanislas sliding a good finish
through the legs of Jack Butland after Smith broke
down the right and supplied a dangerous ball
across the face of goal.
Diouf replied by stabbing home from inside the
six-yard box after Simon Francis failed to clear
Geoff Cameron's awkward scooped cross, which
bounced off the head of Shaqiri and into the path of
the Potters' rusty marksman.
The visitors thought they had done enough to win
it, but another dynamic burst down the right flank
by Smith ended with Gradel's header and a King
touch finding the back of the net thanks to
Shawcross, rendering concerns over the offside
flag redundant and forcing Stoke to settle for a
point.
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