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Everton disappointed with 2-1 loss to Southampton

Amadou Onana’s first goal for Everton was not enough as the Blues were defeated 2-1 at Goodison Park by a double from James Ward-Prowse.

When midfielder Onana headed home Demarai Gray’s corner six minutes before halftime, Frank Lampard’s team appeared to be on pace for a valuable victory.

Ward-Prowse levelled matters seconds later, collecting Che Adams’ flicked header and finishing inside the area.

And the Southampton skipper won it with a 20-yard free kick 12 minutes from time.

Lampard made just one change to his starting lineup from the FA Cup match against Manchester United eight days earlier, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin starting ahead of Neal Maupay.

Alex Iwobi, who had been carried out on a stretcher at Old Trafford with an ankle ligament damage, made a quick and welcome comeback in midfield alongside Onana and Idrissa Gana Gueye.

With Iwobi returning, Everton were concerned that they may lose another player to injury as Ben Godfrey went down after making a clearing. Thankfully, following treatment, he was back on his feet and ready to join Conor Coady and James Tarkowski in a three-man central defence.

Iwobi was there in the thick of things early on, threading a ball to the right flank for Seamus Coleman to do well to turn Kyle Walker-Peters and was hauled down by the defender. However, the Blues were unable to capitalise on Gray’s blasted free kick from 20 yards.

Moments later, Walker-Peters attempted to get into the Everton area following a Southampton counter, only to be halted in his tracks by a perfectly-timed slide tackle from Onana.

The Blues responded quickly, with Gana and Onana exchanging passes before the Belgium international was brought down on halfway by Romeo Lavia for the match’s first card.

Gray then dashed into the centre of the field, narrowly delaying his throw wide left, allowing Ibrahima Diallo to make a key tackle.

On 20 minutes, Mykolenko slipped a precise pass to Gray on the left edge of the area, where the in-form attacker took the ball past goalie Gavin Bazunu and squeezed his effort over from a tight angle.

Everton were considerably superior, but the visitors demonstrated their danger just before the half-hour mark when Mohamed Elyounoussi was in space inside the Blues’ box and had his shot hit Mykolenko and ricochet just beyond the post.

Pickford then had to swat Mohammed Salisu’s header away from James Ward-subsequent Prowse’s corner.

With the opening on 38 minutes, a lull in action was immediately broken, with Gray – so pivotal in recent weeks – at the heart of it.

After jinking one way and then another to draw a corner off Walker-Peters, Onana was on hand to thump home a header from 10 yards out for his maiden Blues goal.

Goodison Park erupted, as Gana robbed Lavia of possession, feeding Calvert-Lewin, who sent Iwobi racing down the left channel, the Nigerian cutting inside and shooting a 20-yard effort inches beyond the far post.

Instead of 2-0, Southampton’s rapid attack ended with Ward-Prowse hitting a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner that Pickford did amazingly well to tip on to the post and out for a corner with practically the final ball of the first half.

Ward-Prowse, on the other hand, was not to be denied seconds after the restart. Che Adams deflected a high ball, allowing Southampton’s corner to gather inside the box and finish past Pickford.

The Blues were devastated by the defeat, but they were the next team to get through as Iwobi outmuscled Samuel Edozie, passing inside to Gray, whose low 25-yard attempt was saved by Bazunu.

Lampard’s side came agonisingly close to retaking the lead 10 minutes after the restart, with Godfrey squaring to Calvert-Lewin and the England striker’s effort from the edge of the area bouncing off Edozie and beating Bazunu, only to ricochet back off the bar, on to the goalline, and out.

Both teams pressed for a victory to kickstart their seasons, creating gaps in the back, and it took a strong stop from Coady to deny Adams as he struck from the right side of the box.

Onana was the Blues’ continuous danger, appearing all over the field and orchestrating a counter from the edge of his own area, storming upfield before being brought down by Diallo as he sought to put Calvert-Lewin clear through.

The Southampton midfielder was correctly handed a yellow card, and Gray whipped in a long cross from the left that Godfrey turned into the side netting.

Everton’s opportunities continued flowing, with Calvert-Lewin running past Lyanco and cutting back a pass inside the area, which resulted in Godfrey blasting a finish just wide.

A winning goal seemed unavoidable. After putting in so much effort to be the ones to win it, Everton were undone by a nasty suckerpunch 12 minutes from time. Another Southampton counter-attack resulted in replacement Anthony Gordon being penalised for a barge on the edge of the box, and Ward-Prowse blasted the resulting free-kick over the wall and into the net.

Gana was replaced by Ellis Simms as the Blues sought a leveller. Gordon cut back from the byline, Bazunu pushed out, and Tarkowski’s goalbound effort was blocked behind by Walker-Peters in four minutes of extra time.

But it was the closest Everton got on a very disappointing day at Goodison Park.

Kajal S

Kajal S

kajal

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