Jones swoops to send Stoke through

Kenwnye Jones scored a late equaliser to secure Stoke City FC's place in the round of 32 and leave FC Dynamo Kyiv with a mountain to climb in UEFA Europa League Group E.

For a long time it looked like Stoke, needing a point to qualify, would be thwarted as Dynamo defended the lead given them by Matthew Upson's 27th-minute own goal. However, Jones's header with nine minutes remaining proved enough to send them through. Beşiktaş JK's last-gasp winner at Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC leaves Dynamo three points behind the Turkish side with an inferior goal difference going into matchday six.

Dynamo have never won in England but last season's quarter-finalists responded to the threat of elimination by taking the game to their hosts. Olexandr Aliyev tried his luck twice from distance in the early stages and it was his shot that Upson deflected in for the opening goal. Andriy Yarmolenko advanced unchecked to the edge of the box and played in Aliyev on the right who drove in a low shot that Upson, attempting to block, deflected past Asmir Begović.

The situation almost worsened for Tony Pulis's men before half-time as Andriy Shevchenko broke through on the left but his shot slapped the outside of the near post. Stoke had to improve in the second half and they did. Wilson Palacios had a low shot bundled away by Olexandr Shovkovskiy, then Jermaine Pennant, from a half-cleared long throw, fired the ball back past Shovkovskiy only for Yevhen Khacheridi to clear off the line.

Pulis sent on a third striker in Ricardo Fuller but it was Jones, climbing high, who buried a Pennant cross past Shovkovskiy for Stoke's equaliser. There was still time for Yarmolenko to come close to a dramatic winner only for Begović to foil him with a superb flying save.