Monday 10 July 2017 22:36, UK
Stoke's preparations for the new season got off to a winning start thanks to a 1-0 victory over Neuchatel Xamax at the Tissot Arena in Switzerland.
In the opening fixture of their 2017 Uhrencup campaign, Mark Hughes put out two entirely different elevens for each half.
First team regulars Ryan Shawcross, Jack Butland, Bojan, Saido Berahino and Phil Bardsley all started the opening 45 minutes but manager Mark Hughes was forced into an early change when Bardsley was forced from the field with a back injury.
The Switzerland second-tier outfit enjoyed the better of the possession in the opening stages but it was the Premier League side who went closest to breaking the deadlock. Dominic Telford worked some space inside the penalty area but placed his shot into the side-netting.
The young forward was soon back in the thick of the action, curling an effort inches wide of the post but the best chance of the half fell to Berahino.
The striker raced onto Telford's through ball but slipped at the crucial moment, firing his shot over the crossbar.
At the break, Hughes changed his whole line-up with Giannelli Imbula, Glen Johnson, Peter Crouch and debutant Josh Tymon all seeing action.
Goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard was forced into the action early in the half, keeping out a speculative strike from distance.
But Stoke got back onto the front foot in the 60th minute with Verlinden picking out Crouch and the former England star went close to breaking the deadlock, forcing the Neuchatel 'keeper into a smart save.
Stoke finally made the breakthrough three minutes from time when Verlinden's cross was turned into his own net by Mustafa Sejmenovic to hand Hughes' men a winning start.
