U23s beat Benfica B 2 - 0 in Southport tonight

Friday, 28 September, 2018 24comments | Jump to most recent

Everton Under-23s beat Benfica B in the second of their Premier League International Cup competition games on Friday night.

The Blues drew 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion in their first game just last week and this European encounter takes place at Merseyside Community Stadium in Southport, kick-off at 7 pm.

The annual competition, which has been won by Porto in each of the last two campaigns, pits 12 of England's best Academy sides against 12 of the top development squads from across Europe.

The 24 teams are then split into six groups of four, with the six group winners and best two runners-up advancing to the quarter-finals.

Each team will face each other only once in the group phase, with all matches set to be played in England. The fourth side in Everton's Group D is Bayern Munich.

On the night, two breakaway goals from the home side, scored before half-time, proved to be enough to secure the win for Everton. The goals came from Broadhead and Bowler to give Everton a commanding lead they did not give up.

Everton U23s: Virginia, Charsley, Galloway, Feeney, Browning, Foulds, Bowler (90' Mampala), Markelo, Hornby (65' Evans), Adeniran, Broadhead (65' Sambou).
Subs: Hilton, Lavery, Ouzounidis, Phillips.

Reader Comments (24)

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Alan J Thompson
1 Posted 28/09/2018 at 04:59:31

This is certainly a fixture that captures the imagination, what a shame these games aren't played at Goodison.

Michael Kenrick
2 Posted 28/09/2018 at 05:57:21

It's a strange one, Alan. I assumed it would be at Goodison Park, like last season. But maybe the fixture clash with the Fulham game being on tomorrow...

Alan J Thompson
3 Posted 28/09/2018 at 11:49:30

Thanks for the reply, Michael, but may be it is the cynic in me that asks why we have changed the names in Management but not apparently the mode of operation. Perhaps Sunday may have been a better time after our super-duper mowers had flattened the Saturday bumps out of the pitch and both teams had experienced some hospitality at the Fulham game. It strikes me that these fixtures would be the perfect opportunity to create good relations with these clubs.

Paul Ellam
4 Posted 28/09/2018 at 12:29:40

Good luck lads. Bring us a Win.

Chris Pitchford
5 Posted 28/09/2018 at 12:49:50

I live in Southport, Alan J (1), so suits me down to the ground.

Michael Kenrick
6 Posted 28/09/2018 at 15:35:50

I don't think Sunday would've worked, Alan, because they are in the midst of a crazy fixture crunch. The U23s play West Ham on Monday — their 5th game in 11 days.

After that, they don't play again for three weeks. Go figure!

Kevin Prytherch
7 Posted 28/09/2018 at 15:56:11

Expect some squad rotation again - which is a shame as this competition obviously has some prestige attached to it.

We drew against Brighton in the first game and had a few of the U18s in the squad as it was only a couple of days after another fixture.

This one is 3 days after the checkatrade fixture.

Dave Abrahams
8 Posted 28/09/2018 at 18:55:19

Is this matched being screened?

Dave Abrahams
9 Posted 28/09/2018 at 19:47:06

Everton are leading 2-0 with goals from Broadhead (pen)
and Bowler, haven't got a clue how they are playing.

Michael Kenrick
11 Posted 28/09/2018 at 20:36:14

Teamsheet for tonite:

Jay Wood
[BRZ]
12 Posted 28/09/2018 at 21:10:17

Good result! 2-0 against the Benfica academy is a fine win.

Two first half goals around the half hour mark by Broadhead and Bowler.

Who was it that Silva poached as one of his coaches from the Benfica academy in the summer? Probably able to give Unsworth an inside line on their team.

Paul Birmingham
13 Posted 28/09/2018 at 22:07:19

Great result and a welcome tonic for EFC. Here's to good result tomorrow and weekend for Evertonians.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]
14 Posted 28/09/2018 at 23:00:26

Dave @ 9. According to the live text on the club site, it wasn't a pen but a fine individual goal:

26' GOAL! Everton. Nathan Broadhead

Excellent goal from the Welshman. He drove at the Benfica defence, slalomed his way past their last defender. Through on goal, Duarto made a fine stop but Broadhead slotted home the rebound

29' GOAL! Everton. Josh Bowler.

Everton double their lead! A terrific break forward sees Hornby look for Adeniran, he then picks out Bowler who coolly finishes past Duarto to make it 2-0.

The live text has lots of mentions of Josh Bowler and afterwards Unsworth praised the whole team, but picked out Bowler for special comment:

“Josh was outstanding tonight. He had one of those nights where he can do no wrong. He was outstanding.

“He is playing really well, as is Nathan. We knew we would have to counter-attack when we had the ball and the lads were terrific.â€

Benfica's academy is very, very good. Benfica is leading the league in Portugal (again!) and their 2nd team play in Portugal's 2nd division (they can never be promoted) and they are leading that also.

For sure, some of the Benfica players who played tonight feature in their 2nd team.

Kieran Kinsella
15 Posted 28/09/2018 at 23:07:27

I see the club have suspended the head of the academy with regard to the inquiry into that Welsh kid. It seems that it all relates to the fact it was "cross border" as apparently this guy has been accused and exonerated of the same charge 9 times in the past. In fairness, given the political set up, and the fact Cardiff play in the English league, he may just have not stopped to think of the move as an "international" transfer in the way he would have for a German or Spanish kid.

Peter Gorman
16 Posted 29/09/2018 at 02:40:09

Ah Kieran, on a thread about the U23s beating Benfica 2-0 you can only contribute with an unrelated story about a suspended coach.

Fair play, you are consistent.

Dave Abrahams
17 Posted 29/09/2018 at 09:30:04

Jay (14), thanks Jay, I got that penalty off one of the reporting firms on Google, saw your description of the goal later.

Josh Bowler has an appetite for the game and the ball,he
is always looking for it and goes forward, most of the time, when he gets it, scored a cracker versus Spurs last
Sunday, we got him from QPR's last year, one to keep your eye on. Looks like a very good result.

Brent Stephens
18 Posted 29/09/2018 at 12:23:38

Interesting that towards the end Charsley and Galloway switched sides. Curious.

Two lines of 5 and 4 worked closely together and looked to hit them on the break.

A cold night in sunny Southport!

Tony Abrahams
19 Posted 29/09/2018 at 12:39:00

Are you saying that Waldron, has been accused of this nine times Kieran?

Kieran Kinsella
20 Posted 29/09/2018 at 12:46:13

Tony 19

That is what the Telegraph are saying yes

Tony Abrahams
21 Posted 29/09/2018 at 12:59:04

Interesting Kieran, maybe the cat that gets the cream has ran out of lives? But that's only if you think Everton, have got a very good academy of course!

Alan McGuffog
22 Posted 29/09/2018 at 13:22:49

Tonite ?

Dave Abrahams
23 Posted 29/09/2018 at 13:58:03

At U18 level, Everton won 2-1 after going behind. Simms
kept up his goal scoring habit and Gordon won a penalty in the last few minutes and converted it, apparently he
( Gordon ) had a very good game.

The U16's were also in action drawing 0-0.

The U18's were playing Fulham at Fulham, hope this is a good omen, without keeping us as long waiting for the victory.

Sam Hoare
24 Posted 29/09/2018 at 20:55:40

Heard Virginia had a very good game. Wonder if he will prove inspired business. Could be our Number 1 in a few years if one of the sSky Darlings makes a move for England's No 1.

Dave Abrahams
25 Posted 30/09/2018 at 15:59:32

Sam (24), looks a good strong keeper, nice and calm. He made his own way to England to play for Arsenal as a 16-year-old, then decided to join us last summer. He worked under our Portugese goalkeeping coach at Benfica.

Turns out he is also being used as an interpreter for the Brazilian players in our squad. Speaks decent Spanish as well, so he is helping Mina to mix better, again as an interpreter... I don't know if he is making any headway learning Scouse.

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