Everton 3-0 Sunderland
Oscar Chamberlain reviews all the action from Goodison Park as Sunderland’s Carabao Cup campaign came to an end.
Simon Grayson made six changes to his starting XI as the likes of Jason Steele, Billy Jones, Darron Gibson and Lynden Gooch came into the side to face Everton, but the Toffees came out on top as Dominic Calvert-Lewin stole the show before an unlikely scorer added a third late on.
Recap the moments that mattered below…
OPENING EXCHANGES
Sunderland started confidently and they should have taken the lead with five minutes played as the tenacious James Vaughan caught the Everton defence off-guard. An excellent challenge on Muhamed Besic saw the former Toffee win possession and race through on goal, but the home side regrouped and, under pressure, the striker was unable to hit the target. At the other end, Calvert-Lewin made a lively start to the game and he was denied as the ten-minute mark approached, as Billy Jones – operating alongside Lamine Kone in central defence – blocked the youngster’s effort which looped tamely into Steele’s grasp. And a sensational touch from Calvert-Lewin crafted another opening five minutes later, but after the ball dropped kindly for Nikola Vlasic he powered his effort into the side netting.
TOFFEES TAKE CONTROL
As the opening period progressed, Ronald Koeman’s started to dominate proceedings. A teasing ball was expertly cleared by Jones before Sandro Ramirez scuffed an effort wide, but the Spaniard was persistent and soon after he forced Steele into action with a rasping free-kick stinging the stopper’s palms. And the summer recruit was in action once more on the half-hour mark, as the faintest of touches – so faint the officials missed it – diverted Vlasic’s thumping effort wide. It had been coming and on 38 minutes the deadlock was broken, as intricate build-up play found Calvert-Lewin who remained cool as a cucumber to prod the ball beyond Steele.
CALVERT-LEWIN AT THE DOUBLE
Everton continued to press following the restart and with 51 minutes played they double their advantage. Moments after wasting a free-kick, Ramirez slide a lovely ball down the channel and into the path of Calvert-Lewin, and the youngster dispatched an explosive finish into the roof of the net to hand the Toffees a two-goal lead. Sunderland responded with a change as Callum McManaman, who played for Everton as a youngster, replaced Jack Rodwell, but the Blues remained in the ascendancy. With less than an hour played, Calvert-Lewin was toying with the Black Cats again but this time the woodwork came to the rescue, as the youngster’s bullet header cannoned off the post. Jonny Williams was also called upon by Grayson and with just over 20 minutes remaining he almost engineered a route back into the game, but after picking out Vaughan the striker sent his header inches wide.
END OF THE ROAD
Despite Calvert-Lewin coming off, the Toffees continued to surge forward and the introduction of Ademola Lookman ensured little respite for the Sunderland defence. Steele denied the pacey youngster a goal with his first touch but there was further frustration at the opposite end, as Vaughan’s looped header dropped agonisingly wide. The striker was tireless throughout against his former club and he richly deserved a reward for his efforts, but it simply wasn’t Sunderland’s night and with seven minutes remaining Oumar Niasse, who just a few months ago seemingly had no future on Merseyside, returned with a goal. And he took it well, chesting down the ball before volleying it into the top corner to confirm Sunderland’s exit from the Carabao Cup.
Everton: Stekelenburg, Keane, Williams, Ramirez (Lookman 73), Klaassen, Besic, Davies, Vlasic (Lennon 81,, Calvert-Lewin (Niasse 66), Holgate, Kenny.
Subs: Robles, Martina, Gueye, Sigurdsson.
Sunderland: Steele, Jones, Rodwell (McManaman 54), Vaughan (E Robson 86), Ndong, Matthews, Love, Kone, Gibson, Honeyman (Williams 63), Gooch.
Subs: Ruiter, Oviedo, Cattermole, Asoro.