LFL: EVERTON

This match had just about everything and a tremendous display at the end from Roefs was crucial. It was great to see Luke getting the vital goal and putting himself back in the headlines.

BEFORE

After the disappointment of the Brentford match I'm looking forward to the distraction of some cup football but I'm glad that Regis is taking this game seriously. We were off the pace on Wednesday and after three games within a week it was hardly surprising so surely there'll be some reshuffling in our starting line-up with one or two of the players returning from AFCON taking part. We're taking a large number of fans today and of course they'll be expecting us to put in a full shift. We definitely have a very good relationship with the Everton fans these days so it should be a great day out. I can't remember the last time we progressed beyond the 3rd Round but I'd welcome a bit of a cup run as we have a decent squad of players these days and will no doubt have more in the next couple of weeks. I'll be watching the match with other members of the London Branch and am looking forward to it. It may go to extra-time but I think we're going to win it and my match prediction is 2-1 to us.

I got to the bar just before midday and checked the team-news. As expected, there were a number of changes with Ballard, Alderete, Geertruida, Rigg and Brobbey dropping to the bench to be replaced by O’Nien, Cirkin, Sadiki, Mundle and Mayenda. Isidor was back on the bench. All in all it was a strong starting eleven. The bar was quiet at such an early hour and there was only one other member of the Faithful present. We discussed whether O’Nien would last the full ninety minutes while expressing surprise that Patto wasn’t starting. 

THE GAME

I was glad to see us playing in red and white while Everton weren’t in their usual blue. We threatened in the fifth minute, with a nifty back-heel in their box setting up a chance. O’Nien took a knock a few minutes later but was able to carry on. We dominated possession in the opening stages and were stroking the ball around confidently without managing a serious shot on target. Everton started coming forward more around the quarter-hour mark and on a few occasions we played dangerously at the back but managed to clear. Cirkin conceded a free-kick in the twenty-first and it resulted in an Armstrong shot that went narrowly over the bar. We promptly conceded another free-kick and the Everton pressure was building.

Cirkin was splattered in a challenge and then a couple of Everton players crashed to the ground in our box but everyone was able to carry on and no penalty was given. We were starting to get back into attacking as the half-hour mark approached and then we took the lead. It began with a throw into their box from our right and the ball was passed by Mayenda across to Le Fee who cooly placed a shot well wide of Pickford. Of all our players I was glad that it was Enzo who scored after the ridicule that some have directed at him following his miss against Brentford. Like most of us I know that he’s a class player and that we all make mistakes sometimes. In the thirty-seventh Everton went close to an equaliser but Mykolenko’s low shot went just wide of our left post. With five minutes to the break we won two corners in a row and from the second a Mukiele scissors-kick wasn’t far wide either. Next thing a strong shot from Mundle forced Pickford into a great one-handed save and we were definitely looking the likeliest side to get the next goal. Sadiki was yellow-carded in added-time and a Mykolenko piledriver went just over the bar and that was it for the first-half. So far, so good for us. 

There were no changes to either side as the second period began. Both sides were at it hammer and tongs in the opening stages of the half and there was a spot of handbags in the fifty-sixth between Mundle and Garner, though neither was booked. Mundle was getting involved all over the pitch and I for one wouldn’t like to see him leave the club, as has been rumoured. Peter Reid came on the screen looking very cool in his black hat and I imagined he’d probably be favouring Everton today. In the sixty-third Myenda was fed a great pass and ran on with Pickford to beat but his low shot from an angle went just wide of the right post. Mykolenko had been their most threatening attacker so far and in the sixty-seventh he got a strong shot on target but Roefs was there to take the sting out of it. 

As we entered the final (hopefully) quarter of the game both sides were going for it. We soon made a double switch with Mayenda and Adingra going off and Ballard and Brobbey coming on. It felt good to have two such strong subs joining the fray.  Everton were starting to really go for the equaliser and Barry, who’d just come on as a sub, went close with a header that bobbled past our right post. A Cirkin shot wasn’t far off the mark in the eighty-fourth and a second goal for us would surely win it. I certainly didn’t fancy extra-time but with two minutes on the clock Hume fouled in our box and Garner scored from the spot. Xhaka was booked and Ballard soon joined him for a high kick. Four minutes of added-time were announced. We won a corner but couldn’t make anything of it and that was about it for normal time. 

Mundle had a strong shot on target in the ninety-fourth but Pickford palmed it away. Next thing a Brobbey (I think) shot was dealt with the same way. We won two corners in close succession but the Everton defence was holding firm. The game was flowing from end to end as we approached half-time in extra-time and then a Beto shot hit our side-netting. It remained 1-1 as the whistle went. I wondered if we’d make one or two more changes and there was of course the possibility of a penalty shoot-out with two of the best goalies in Europe involved.

Isidor replaced Brobbey, which was interesting, and then we were off again. Mukiele was booked, harshly I thought, in the hundred and ninth. The game continued to be played at a fast pace and neither side was saving themselves for the shoot-out. Hume was also booked with five minutes left putting us 4-0 ahead in that league. 

And so it came to penalties. Garner took the first and Roefs dived to his right to push it away. Le Fee took our first, which took some balls, and smashed it home. Barry took their second and Roefs saved that one too. Xhaka put our second into the bottom right corner and then Roefs saved their third from Beto. If we got our third, then we’d won and who did we see lining up to take it but Luke himself. He smashed it past Pickford and that was that. What a great finish to a very entertaining game.