Bernard strike sinks Tottenham as Everton edge thriller
Bernard #Bernard
José Mourinho spent much of his night at Goodison Park open-mouthed and struggling to comprehend Tottenham’s inability to cruise into the FA Cup quarter-finals. The answer lay in Everton’s defiance, their spirit and their ruthless precision. Carlo Ancelotti’s side edged ahead in extra time of a truly extraordinary cup tie courtesy of a beautiful goal by Bernard.
The Brazilian swept Everton ahead with the ninth goal of a pulsating game that saw Spurs dominate for long spells only to trail 3-1 during the first half and 4-3 with seven minutes of normal time remaining. Harry Kane came off the bench to score Spurs’ fourth and send the contest into extra time where Bernard, receiving an exquisite chip from Gylfi Sigurdsson into the penalty area, restored Everton’s advantage.
Mourinho’s team seized the initiative from the first whistle as Everton, so impressive away from home, made another laboured start at Goodison Park. In mind and body.
The visitors would have led after 50 seconds but for a fine save from Robin Olsen. Lucas Moura’s pace and directness regularly unsettled the Everton defence and he engineered the game’s first chance with a penetrating run and measured pass to Steven Bergwijn on the left. His cross was met by the head of Erik Lamela but Olsen, starting in place of the injured Jordan Pickford for a third successive game, produced a strong reaction save at close range. Moura, off balance, skied an inviting chance from the rebound high into the Gwladys Street End.
It was an opportunity Kane would have relished but, having made a goalscoring return from injury against West Brom on Sunday, the Spurs captain was not risked with a second start in four days and named among the substitutes. His absence should not have been felt as Spurs took a deserved early lead, dominated the opening half hour, but then inexplicably collapsed to concede three goals in seven astonishing minutes.
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Davinson Sánchez rewarded the visitors’ initial control when he headed home Heung-Min Son’s corner after only four minutes. Ancelotti will have been appalled at the defending. Sigurdsson tracked Sanchez’s movement in the six yard area but failed to challenge as the set-piece arrived and, in front of him, Dominic Calvert-Lewin ducked under the ball. Olsen had no chance with the defender’s routine header and was heavily employed as Spurs threatened almost every time they broke. The Sweden international tipped over from Son after good work down the right by Lamela and Matt Doherty, who found the South Korean forward with an inch-perfect pass into the area, and also denied Bergwijn plus Lamela once more before Everton’s unlikely transformation began.
The hosts improved midway through the first half and almost levelled through Calvert-Lewin, who pounced on a loose ball at the back post and saw a low shot turned on to the woodwork by Hugo Lloris. Sánchez had also denied Richarlison with a vital block and Yerry Mina headed a good opportunity wide from Lucas Digne’s corner, but Everton were still a distant second best when they equalised after a mistake by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. Attempting to play out from the back following Mina’s chance, the midfielder’s careless pass was intercepted by Abdoulaye Doucouré. Alex Iwobi found Sigurdsson, whose first time flick released Calvert-Lewin in space inside the Spurs’ penalty area. The striker took a first time shot that sailed through Lloris’ grasp at his near post. The France international perhaps should have done better but there was no mistaking the power behind Calvert-Lewin’s 17th goal of the season.
Remarkably Everton were ahead two minutes later. A neat touch by Digne turned a long ball on to Calvert-Lewin, and he back-heeled into Richarlison who was lurking in space inside. The Brazilian forward cut across Toby Alderweireld before unleashing a superb low finish that flew between the defender’s legs and nestled inside Lloris’ right-hand corner.
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Spurs were still coming to terms with falling behind when Everton made it three. Digne released Sigurdsson down the left and Everton’s captain for the night attempted to do the same for Calvert-Lewin as he darted into the area. His heels were accidentally clipped by Højbjerg, however, and referee David Coote immediately pointed to the spot. Sigurdsson fixed his eyes on Lloris as he stepped up to take the penalty and, once the keeper committed to his right, rolled the spot-kick nonchalantly to his left.
The visitors hauled themselves back into a nonsensical but highly entertaining cup tie with the final kick of the first half. Lamela exchanged passes with Son on the edge of the Everton area before clipping over the advancing Olsen.
Everton lost Calvert-Lewin to injury early in the second half and the lead soon after when they again failed to deal with a Son corner. Alderweireld won the near post header despite being in a crowd of royal blue shirts and, though Olsen tipped away the effort, Sánchez was perfectly placed at the back to shrug off Sigurdsson once again and convert.
Moments before Everton lost their main striker, Mourinho introduced Kane, and with no game-changing options on the bench – Ancelotti was unable to select a full complement of substitutes – the contest appeared to be slipping away from the hosts. Yet they regained the lead in fine style when Sigurdsson released Richarlison with an astute pass and the forward, confidence no doubt bolstered by his earlier finish, beat Lloris from a tight angle with a first time shot that flew in off the far post. Spurs appealed en masse for offside but in vain. They levelled with their third goal from a Son corner, however, with seven minutes remaining. Son’s first delivery was palmed by Olsen on to Lamela, whose volley struck Doucoure on the goal-line and sailed over to Alderweireld. He returned the ball to Son, who curled his second cross to the far post for Kane to convert with a diving header.