Ibrahim Afellay's first Stoke City goal has given them a 1-0 lead over Sheffield Wednesday at half time in their League Cup quarter-final this evening.

Peter Crouch didn't last long on his third start of the season, as he hobbled off with an injury after just 13 minutes.

His replacement Joselu was straight into the thick of the action, as he released Glen Johnson down the right. The full-back then managed to pick out Jon Walters, who fired a fierce drive at Joe Wildsmith from a tight angle.

Marko Arnautovic sent a free kick over the bar before Wildsmith batted away Marco van Ginkel's strike as the Owls failed to contain their Premier League opponents.

There was nothing the young goalkeeper could do to prevent Afellay from giving Stoke the lead after half an hour though, as the winger rifled an unerring volley into the corner of the net.

Walters then came within inches of connecting with Erik Pieters's teasing cross in the latter stages of a half dominated by the hosts.