EVERTON 1-1 SOUTHAMPTON (5-6 ON PENS): SAINTS WIN NERVY SHOOTOUT TO BOOK CARABAO CUP FOURTH ROUND SPOT AND HEAP MORE MISERY ON TOFFEES AT GOODISON PARK

Abdoulaye Doucoure opened the scoring before Taylor Harwood-Bellis' header
Both sides score their opening five penalties before Ashley Young was denied
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Ashley Young missed in the penalty shoot-out as Everton crashed out of the Carabao Cup against their fellow Premier League strugglers.

Young saw his spot-kick saved by Alex McCarthy to cap a miserable evening for the 39-year-old whose arrival as a second-half substitute was greeted by boos from fans disappointed to see striker Beto removed.

The veteran was fortunate not to concede a penalty in the final minute when he challenged Tyler Dibling but his luck ran out when his spot-kick was struck at a comfortable height for the goalkeeper to save.

Earlier on, it had been a tale of two captains with Taylor Harwood-Bellis equalising for the visitors after Abdoulaye Doucoure had opened the scoring for Everton, who were beset by injuries and illness.

‘We had to piece a team together,’ said Dyche, who gave a first start for 17-year-old Harrison Armstrong. On the boos, he said: ‘He (Young) is a tough customer mentally. Youngy is old enough and wise enough to know how this industry is.’

Neither team had gained a league point this season and made 18 changes between them. It was Everton who started brighter despite Dwight McNeil playing left-back.

McCarthy saved from Beto but after 20 minutes he flapped at a McNeil corner with damaging consequences.

The ball broke for Michael Keane and he nodded into the box for Doucoure to meet with a glancing header.

Southampton enjoyed 75% possession, but Everton still had chances with Jesper Lindstrom twice denied by McCarthy when clean through.

The leveller arrived from a set-piece. Harwood-Bellis rose above McNeil to meet Charlie Taylor’s free-kick to head in his first goal since December.

Goodison Park aired its displeasure when Dyche withdrew his centre-forward for Young, though it allowed McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye to push forward.

Referee Darren Bond waved away strong Saints appeal for a 90th-minute penalty before they got the job done in the shoot-out.

Everton fans will hope reports that Roma owner Dan Friedkin may still want to buy the club are true. Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor has also declared a firm interest.

Winning boss Russell Martin said: ‘I am really proud of the players. We had a tough moment conceding and responded brilliantly. I am excited by what the group is capable of.’

Everton hope James Garner, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Vitaliy Mykolenko cover from a bug in time for Saturday’s crunch Premier League game at Leicester.

2024-09-17T21:08:00Z dg43tfdfdgfd