• Everton – Manchester City 2-1 (1-0):
(Dagbladet): Manchester City has been unstable in the Premier League this season but was still favorite before the first semifinal meeting with Everton in Carling Cup tonight.
It meant little.
Everton was namely a snap better throughout the match, won 2-1 and thus have a solid basis before the return match in three weeks .
This means that the Everton supporters’ wet dream lives:
It is to beat crosstown Liverpool in the league cup final, which could happen this season. In the first match of the second ligacup semifinals beat Liverpool Stoke 1-0 away on Tuesday night, and is thus well on the way to the final.
– We knew this match was a big challenge, but we showed incredible strength of character, says Everton manager Roberto Martínez according to NTB.
City started best
Manchester City started regardless best tonight and had the ball a lot initially, but despite several gorgeous combinations, unable Manuel Pellegrini’s men to sneak through a watertight Everton defense initially.
Instead it was the home side, who was obviously excited about a long-awaited finale, which saw dangerous the second half of the first half. Everton was pretty deep in the field, but showed the ability to accelerate the times Citys technicians lost ball high into the game.
It was obvious that reaching the league cup final means a lot to both teams. Both clubs fielded approximate first XI in tonight’s semi.
Just before the break catered City up with a double chance, but two good finishes in the Everton box was blocked.
Offside bonanza
Everton put the ball in the net after half an hour, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside as Gareth Barry, who gets down to John Stones, was clearly offside positioned when Leighton Baines hit the field.
Five minutes later it was Romelo Lukakus turn to put the ball in the City goal, but once again was an Everton goal correctly disallowed for offside. Lukaku stood in a clear offside Gerardo Deulofeu threaded the ball through after making a brilliant preparation.
Just before the break fell to the bullet in City-net for the third time in ten minutes, and this time it was all good things wood for Everton.
The question is whether also goal number three should have been disallowed for offside.
The scoring came when Ross Barkley went to from a distance, and City goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero had to give return. Goalscorer Ramiro Funes Mori was not offside positioned when Barkley hit, but it was Lukaku, who – perhaps – may have disturbed Caballero.
No matter: There was convicted goal and Everton could thus bring a 1-0 lead at half time.
Good Lukaku
City has won titles steadily in recent years, but Everton are far more hunger forums. Large club has not won a trophy since 1995. It is a long time for a club with nine league titles.
Toffees started clearly freshest also after the break against a sometimes irresolute City team. Led by sparkling Lukaku, Deulofeu and Barkley pushed the blue-white City backward path.
Lukaku came close to controlling the ball in goal after a good cross from the left after 50 minutes, but the Belgian was – once again – offside.
Everton continued onslaught and eventually we got increasingly see duels between Deulofeu and Martin Demichelis, who came in Eliaquim Mangala during the break.
It was, to put it mildly, a bad match for Demichelis, who has struggled with form this season. Argentine struggled violently with the move, and were extra humiliated when Deulofeu struck tunnel at him for a duration of an hour.
Weak from Agüero
A few minutes later it was suddenly City got a fighting chance but when everyone thought Sergio Agüero should steer the ball into the goal from a good position, catered Argentine up with a weak end.
Agüero tried to shoot with his left leg from around five meters, but the ball skidded off the base and went a long way off .
Straight afterwards it was Barkley who got a great chance at the other end after hopelessly defending of Nicolas Otamendi, but Caballero saved conclusion from an acute angle.
The match continued to swing back and forth. 20 minutes before the end it was City’s turn to create an almost-nothing, when Kevin de Bruyne shot from around 18 meters, but Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles was instantly down and delivered a sparkling block.
Assessed
A few minutes later, however, came the equation, and 1-1 was the result of a fantastic break.
Everton had moved many man up, and had little to line up with when Fernandinho wins the ball from Kevin Mirallas and beat a long ball forward.
Agüero took the ball down, speeded up the Everton goal and plays a delightful ball through to substitute Jesus Navas. The Spaniard was icy and pushed past the outmaneuvered Robles.
Manuel Pellegrini’s team would, however, no respite for long.
Only two minutes after the equation, headed a lightly injured Romelo Lukaku 2-1 on the scoreboard a sprinkle kent cross from Gareth Barry and weak marking game by Demichelis.
limped off
When exploded Goodison Park, but a small fly in the ointment for Toffees was that Lukaku hobbled off injured a few minutes later.
City pushed for an equalizer at the end, but the settlement is 2-1 to Everton.
– It was important to score. When we equalized we were the best team, but Lukaku is a very dangerous player, said City manager Manuel Pellegrini after the game, according to NTB.
Regardless live the dream of a final between Liverpool and Everton for those from Merseyside – but before the rematch, it may be useful to remind the quirky away goals in the League Cup:
Where counting away goals only after 120 minutes of play, and not after 90 minutes as normal.
• The second match between Everton and Manchester City played Wednesday 27 January.
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