Everton 1 – 1 So'ton [5-6 on pens]
A much-changed Everton side struggled for large periods of a difficult game against Southampton at Goodison Park before Young saw the 6th Everton penalty saved to end their Carabao Cup campaign at the second hurdle.
Seamus Coleman misses out with the knock he sustained on international duty, as does Vitalii Mykolenko after coming off in the first half at Villa Park Saturday complaining of illness, and neither Nathan Patterson nor Jarrad Branthwaite are ready having only just resumed full training.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Graner were also missing through illness but Beto started with young Martin Sherif on the bench along with Luke Butterfield, Bradley Moonan, and Owen Barker. Harisson Armstrong was given his full senior debut.
Roman Dixongot another opportunity from the start while deadline-day signing Orel Mangala made his full debut in midfield, alongside Doucoure.
Beto started well, putting a Saints defence under pressure early on. A lively run in the channel from Dixon got the crowd up and won a corner. From that, Everton worked it around for Beto to drive in and shoot, forcing the save from McCarthy and another corner touched away for a third corner on the other side. Lindstrom’s delivery was good but McNeil’s contact wasn’t right to convert it.
After some ineffective attacking from the Saints, Dixon went on another run and great forward pass that won another corner. It was played across to the far post and pushed back into play by O’Brien where Keane headed it back goalward and it ended up with Abdoulaye Doucoure nodding the ball just inside the post from close range for the opening goal.
Southampton came a little closer but Aribo headed over, while at the other end, Doucoure sent Lindstrom clean through but he fired straight at McCarthy.
Beto was almost released by Keane. Dixon went right through Fraser to stop him crossing and drew a yellow card. The Saints free-kick was headed home virtually unopposed by Harwood-Bellis at the far post. Far too easy to score.
Ndiaye drove hard to the byeline, winning a corner off Bree but the delivery was abysmal. The goal had given Saints some confidence and they kept the ball away from Everton but the Blues got forward only for McNeil to cross directly to McCarthy.
Cornet powered his way across McNeil but scooped his shot high over the Everton bar. The visitors ended the half with a long spell of midfield possession.
When Everton did regain possession, McNeil was again keen to play in Beto but the early ball was too speculative. Dixon was very strong on Fraser again giving up a similar free-kick that was almost delivered again to Harwood-Bellis but this time better defended, although the Blues struggled to clear their lines and ceded possession, with Saints slowing it right down and making Everton chase the ball.
Everton played out from a goal-kick but Armstrong played it 30 yards back instead of forward and momentum was lost.
Dixon drove forward but Beto had ventured yards offside. But the ball broke from a Beto interception for Lindstrom to race forward one-on-one with McCarthy but he left his shot fractionally too late and McCarthy had closed him down enough to block his effort away.
Everton’s defending was ragged as they survived and managed to break forward, Lindstrom’s pace forcing a corner but McNeil delivering it into McCarthy’s grateful grasp. At the other end, Cornet’s low cross needed Keane’s vital interception to prevent Fraser from converting.
A slew of substitutions, one of which was met by a round of puzzled boos as Young replaced Beto, with McNeil moving from left-back into the attack. The changes seemed to disrupt the Everton players who struggled to know who to pass to, playing it back to Virginia far too much.
O’Brien tried to release Dixon down the right wing but overhit it. Lindstrom was fouled off the corner of the Saints box and swung in a beauty but Bree got a vital clearing header.
Lindstrom got free and tried to find a shooting position but was quickly surrounded by 5 or 6 Southampton defenders. Brereton Diaz went on a strong run but shot straight at Virginia. Ndiaye got around the Saints back line at the other end but was flagged offside. Ndiaye and Lindstrom then combined nicely but McNeil’s shot was deflected behind, nothing came of the corner.
Lindstrom tried to feed McNeil through the crowd but it did not come off as the minutes ticked away. A late corner won by The Saints was repelled. Dibling danced his way past a few defenders and fired just over the Everton bar as a very unconvincing display by a rag-tag Everton side moved inevitably toward penalties after 3 minutes of added time.
Dixon forced a late corner, cleared out to Young and driven back wide of the goal to end the game before the spot-kicks at the Park End, Southampton going first:
Fernandes — scored; Keane — scored: [1-1]
Stewart — scored; McNeil — scored: [2-2]
Brereton Diaz — scored; Ndiaye — scored: [3-3]
Harwood-Bellis — scored; Lindstrom – in off the post! [4-4]
Aribo — scored; Harrison — scored: [5-5]
Bree — scored; Young — saved! [5-6]
Everton: Virginia, Dixon [Y:32′], O’Brien, Keane, McNeil, Doucoure (79′ Iroegbunam), Mangala, Armstrong (62′ Harrison [Y:74′]), Lindstrøm [Y:86′], Beto (62′ Young), Ndiaye.
Subs not Used: Pickford, Begovic, Sherif, Butterfield, Moonan, Barker.
Southampton: McCarthy, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Taylor, Ugochukwu (62′ Downes), Lallana (46′ Fernandes), Cornet (63′ Dibling), Aribo, Fraser (63′ Brereton Diaz), Armstrong [Y:27′] (79′ Stewart).
Subs not Used: Lumley, Edwards, Amo-Ameyaw, Archer.
Referee: Darren Bond
Attendance: 33,842