Stoke City vs​ Sheffield Wednesday match report: Ibrahim Afellay’s touch of class shows way for Potters to reach rare semi-final

Stoke City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Former Barcelona player scores first goal for club and helps bring visitors' giant-killing Capital One Cup run to an end

Phil Bardsley scores for Stoke from a free-kick (Reuters)

Stoke City reached the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup for the first time since winning the competition as the old League Cup in 1972, ending the impressive progress of Championship side Sheffield Wednesday here.

Wednesday, who had knocked out Premier League sides Newcastle United and Arsenal to reach the quarter-finals, tested the home team in the second half but never really threatened another upset.

Stoke, who led at half-time, made the tie comfortable when defender Phil Bardsley, making his first appearance since the penalty shoot-out win against Chelsea in the last round, scored with a free-kick 15 minutes from time.

Stoke had for the most part been comfortably in control in the first half, despite an injury to Peter Crouch forcing them into an early change.

Stoke manager Mark Hughes had promised not to underestimate the south Yorkshire side and was relatively conservative in the changes he made, mindful of a tough Premier League match against Manchester City to come on Saturday. He left Bojan Krkic and Xherdan Shaqiri on the bench but included Marko Arnautovic and Jonathan Walters and the only change to his back four was forced on him by the suspension of Ryan Shawcross.

Reward came when Ibrahim Afellay, signed from Barcelona in the summer, scored his first goal since the move to give Stoke the advantage

Carlos Carvalhal, the Wednesday manager, made seven changes to his line-up from the 2-2 draw at Blackburn, the Portuguese coach seemingly prioritising promotion from the Championship. Then again, it was a similar team – including eight of the starters on show here – that saw off Arsenal so comprehensively to reach the last eight.

Crouch made his first start in 10 weeks, and it might have been an opportunity to put himself in the shop window ahead of a possible January move, but his participation ended after only 12 minutes when he had to be replaced after tweaking a hamstring.

Substitute Joselu had an immediate influence, shielding the ball before releasing Glen Johnson to feed Walters on the right, but the Republic of Ireland international’s shot was straight at goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.

Wednesday were happy to sit back and look to respond with counter-attacks, one of which almost brought reward when Arnautovic lost the ball in midfield. Kieran Lee delivered a low cross from the right, but neither Gary Hooper nor Lucas Joao could reach it.

Wednesday were under growing pressure and had an escape when Arnautovic failed to test Wildsmith with a 20-yard free-kick in a central position, before the young goalkeeper did well to keep out a long-range effort from Marco van Ginkel, another enjoying a first start since mid-September.

But when a short throw-in near the right-hand corner flag led to Joselu swinging in a deep cross, they were found wanting defensively. No one picked up Afellay at the far post, allowing the Dutchman the freedom to aim a controlled volley beyond the reach of Wildsmith into the opposite corner.

Wednesday’s cause was not helped when defender Tom Lees had to be withdrawn injured before half-time. The visitors had a rare chance to put Jack Butland under pressure in first-half stoppage time, but Ross Wallace’s free-kick was comfortably saved by the England goalkeeper.

Wednesday started the second half brightly, roared on by a following of close to 5,000 fans, filling one end of the ground. The attendance of 26,779 was the largest for a cup match at the Britannia Stadium since 2002.

Substitute Daniel Pudil’s volley had the home fans’ hearts in their mouths as it curled only just wide, but there was relief around the corner in the shape of a first Stoke goal for defender Bardsley, who had replaced Johnson at half time.

Sam Hutchinson conceded a free-kick 25 yards out with a foul on Arnautovic. Wednesday assembled a tightly grouped wall of defenders, but when Van Ginkel rolled the ball to his right a gap appeared and Bardsley drove the ball through it and into the back of the net via the inside of Wildsmith’s right-hand post.

It was Bardsley’s first goal for anyone since he struck for Sunderland in a Capital One Cup tie against Manchester United in January 2014. Wednesday continued to battle but with that, effectively, Stoke were on their way to the semi-finals.

Man of the match Afellay.

Match rating 7/10.

Referee M Clattenburg (Co Durham).

Attendance 26,779.