Everton 1 – 1 Sunderland [AET; 0-3 PKs]
Everton failed the challenging task of overcoming Sunderland without nine of their better players in this lunchtime fixture at the Hill Dickinson Stadium — the first in the FA Cup — which finished after extra time with the most woefully embarrassing penalty shoot-out in Everton’s history.
The recent two additions to the long list of the missing are self-imposed exiles that are down to the complete idiocy indulged in during the second half against Wolves on Wednesday night. Red cards for Michael Keane and Jack Grealish for the most ridiculous of reasons mean they are both suspended.
Iliman Ndiaye scored the solitary winner for Senegal last night that keeps him and Idrissa Gana Gueye at the Afcon in Morocco for the semi-finals next week.
The other five of the missing are out with a variety of injuries: Branthwaite, Coleman, Dewsbury-Hall, and Alcaraz, along with Tim Iroegbunam, who is withdrawn from this vital clash as a precaution: “He’s just got a slight injury at the moment, so he wasn’t available to play,” Moyes confirmed before the game.
Beto gets the call to lead the line after the Barry experiment has not really shown that he has what is needed to be a threat to Premier League defences.
Along with the requisite two goalkeepers, Moyes has named youngsters Braiden Graham and Malik Olayiwola from the Academy as unused subs.
First Half
Everton took to the field in an unrecognizable navy blue strip, Sunderland wearing their traditional first-choice kit, and kicked off with Tarkowski doing the early punt upfield. A long throw from O’Brien went through without interference.
Sunderland mounted a slow and laborious Premier League style attack, a nice backheel from Mayenda at the end of it, while Tarkowski casually threw his man to the ground, off the ball, with no VAR to flag it.
The Mackems were largely in control, dominating possession, slowing everything to a crawl and sucking the life out of the capacity crowd. Armstrong should have launched an attack but he played it backwards instead.
Whenever Everton forced a turnover, it didn’t last long. Sundnerland tried a more direct route, Tarkowski having to block away the shot. Everton finally had some better possession at the end of the firt 15 minutes but it came to nothing.
Rohl and Dibling tired to push up through the middle but Dibling’s pass to Patterson gave him nothing and Sunderland resumed. But McNeil almost caused trouble and the ball fell to Rohl. He telegraphed his awful shot from miles out, way off target.
Patterson forced a throw-in but then played it back and it went all the way to Pickford, whose punt went out of play.
Garner got a free kick out of Cirkin and it fell nicely for Armstrong who sliced it just over the bar. Could have been a moment of glory for the youngster! But at least a bit more life in the game after a moribund 20 minutes.
Patterson put in what shhould have been a good ball to Beto but he had no idea how to handle it, never mind shoot at goal. Cirkin went down after an aerial challenge with Patterson as Everton looked set to attack, and the referee had to call it back for a possible head injury.
Beto and Armstrong seemed to run into eachother as a Tarkowski cross came in, and Armstrong had to endure the ridiculous 30-second sin-bin. Sunderland pushed up again, Mykolenko having to clear out.
But from the throw-in, it wasn’t cleared by Rohl and came through to Le Fee, who had no compunction in firing a clever volleyed curler around Pickford for the opening goal of the game.
The deep dark Blues couldn’t really muster much in response, Garner fouling Cirkin, and in the follow-up, Le Fee got another shot, this time Pickford was behind it.
McNeil showed an astounding burst of speed and fed the ball nicely through to Mykolenko, whose weak shot was deflected wide… but no corner given.
Mundle sprinted forward and won Sunderland a corner, headed with power from the edge of the box, Mykolenko almost putting it into his own net. From the next corner, Mukiele’s acrobatic kick needed saving well by Pickford. Hume was next to line one up but Tarkowski blocked.
Mundle sandbagged Patterson before skipping forward into a lot of undefended space and firing an excellent strike for which Pickford produced an excellent save.
Pickford launched an excellent ball pinpoint pass forward to Dibling but his control was simply atrocious for a £42M player. Armstrong drove forward and Sidiki was booked for holding his arm to bring him down.
Dibling gave Mykolenko a chance to fire one half a metre over the bar, and thus ended a less than stellar half greeted with a few boos from the Hill Dickinson faithful. A poor excuse for an FA Cup tie, devoid of quality and lacking in any real intensity.
Second Half
So… only 1 goal down, it could have easily been more, but in reality, a mountain to climb. Patterson crossed in from Dibling but it flew high over Beto’s head. The push up continued, Garner clipping a perfect cross for Beto to power beyond Roefs… or nod weakly straight at him.
Mundle had to be halted by Tarkowski, then O’Brien seemed to bundle over Mayenda but the free-kick was given Everton’s way.
Everton were showing more intent going forward but it was still not sharp enough to cut through Sunderland’s well marshalled defence. Mundle and Garner got into a tangle and had words, no slaps exchanged.
Dibling failed to dribble past Mundle, giving up the ball easily, and O’Brien made a mess of his defensive duties, gifting Sunderland a throw-in. From another Sunderland throw-in, Pickford had to be sharp to punch clear.
A good drive through the middle from the Black Cats ended with Mayenda clipping hos shot across Pickford’s goal when it looked a lot like the second goal was imminent.
Patterson gave up a foul wide right that fortunately came to nothing. Everton got forward, Patterson crossing to Beto who was hauled down by a clear shirt pull… but of course no penalty given.
Mykolenko beat his and decided to drive into space and fire but Roefs tracked it all the way — only the second Everton shot on target. Cirkikin caught Garner’s heel for an Everton free-kick wide right as Sunderland rang the changes.
Everton huffed and puffed, McNeil finally shooting way off target from way out. Barry came on for Dibling, who had done next to nothing to raise his profile.
Everton tried something clever from a free-kick but Armstrong was not tricky enough to beat the Sunderland defender. But Everton kept up the pressure, McNeil putting in a great cross for Barry at the far post but his header bobbled wide.
Barry then had a shot blocked. Rohl fought fairly and won the fight, with Mukiele throwing himself over, but the referee gave it to Sunderland, much to the annoyance of the Everton fans.
Sunderland chewed up a few more minutes with an attack that saw Cirkin fire over. Moyes gave Adam Aznou his long-awaited debut, just 4 minutes from the end.
A remarkable sequence saw Aznou fight like a tiger to first cross, then chase up and win back the blocked ball, driving across, he was barged over… Penalty! With Xhaka booked for protesting. James Garner powered it past Roefs as the game entered added time.
Ballard then fouls Aznou and he goes in the book. But Barry then fouls and he goes in the book, with Everton having to defend desperately, Sunderland with a late corner, ultimately repelled. And the full-time whistle meant extra-time at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a remarkable late rescue thanks to the much overlooked Adam Aznou.
Extra Time – First Half
The action resumed, Mundle getting in a good strike that Pickford stopped. Beto was no strong or wiley enough to make anything for the counter.
Beto could have released Barry but his weak pass was intercepted. Sunderland came back and Mundle had another shot parried by Pickford. Armstrong exchanged passes with Beto but his shot was poor.
Xhaka’s shot deflected off Mykolenko for a Sunderland corner that id not beat the first defender. But the vistors got another chance, this one flicked on dangerously by Le Fee. Sunderland kept up the pressure until Pickford could collect.
A great run by McNeil, he looked for Barry to help but again Barry’s pass was woeful. Aznou put in a brilliant low cross but Barry was not anticipating it.
Barry powered forward and this time played in Beto who lashed his shot high into the side netting. Woulda bina stunna! Mykolenko made way for Eli Campbell to make his senior debut.
Sunderland pushed back up again before the whistle went. More excitement in the first 15 minutes of Extra Time than in the whole 90 minutes that preceded them.
Extra Time – Second Half
Aznou gave away a foul soon after Sunderland had restarted, but it did not trouble Pickford. Aznou looked to drive forward but Mukiele stuck his foot in.
Mukiele did not like it when he was called for fouling Aznou. Beto could not get past Hume. Barry jumped clumsily and landed awkwardly.
Mukiele could only punt his cross in to Pickford as penalties loomed. Barry went on a run and Hume cynically stopped him. Reece Welch came on for Patterson.
It had all become very cagey as both sides now seemed resigned to the lottery of spot-kicks, with just a couple of minutes remaining. But Xhaka lined up for a crucial attempt that ricocheted away off Tarkowski before it reached Pickford.
More late pressure from Sunderland saw Mundle lash one high and wide, with Pickford booked for something right at the end.
Penalty Shoot-Out
In front of the massive South Stand, Everton took the first penalty…
Garner — Saved! 0 – 0
Le Fee — Scored. 0 – 1
Barry — Saved!! (a pathetic effort) 0 – 1
Xhaka — Scored. 0 – 2
Beto — Saved!!! (another tame effort) 0 – 3
There are no words strong enough to describe how utterly pathetic that penalty shoot-out was. Absolutely shameful ‘efforts’ from Barry and Beto.
Everton: Pickford; Mykolenko (104′ Campbell), O’Brien, Tarkowski, Patterson (116′ Welch); Armstrong, Garner, Rohl (86′ Aznou); McNeil, Beto, Dibling (75′ Barry [Y:90+2′]).
Subs not Used: Travers, King, Bates, Olayiwola, Graham.
Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele [Y:109′], O’Nien, Cirkin, Xhaka [Y:88′], Sadiki [Y:45+1′], Le Fée, Adingra (71′ Brobbey (106′ Isidor)), Mundle, Mayenda (71′ Ballard [Y:90+1′]).
Subs no Used: Patterson, Alderete, Neil, Hjelde, Rigg, Geertruida.
Attendance: 51,588