Lamela saves Spurs in Everton draw
stop Tottenham Hotspur’s Argentinian midfielder Erik
Lamela (R) during the English Premier League football
match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison
Park in Liverpool, north west England on August 13, 2016.
GEOFF CADDICK / AFP
Erik Lamela’s second-half header rescued a 1-1
draw for Tottenham Hotspur and denied new
Everton manager Ronald Koeman a winning start at
Goodison Park on Saturday.
Lamela equalised in the 59th minute after Everton
had claimed a deserved lead through Ross Barkley’s
early goal.
Everton had the better of the first half but Mauricio
Pochettino’s side came back well after the interval
and Argentine midfielder Lamela ensured their
pressure paid off.
Only two fine saves late on from debutant Everton
goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg denied Spurs an
opening day victory as the north Londoners look to
emulate last season’s title challenge.
Everton went ahead in just the fifth minute.
Tottenham’s Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama,
signed from Southampton in the close-season, was
penalised as he tripped Kevin Mirallas to halt the
Belgian’s progress towards goal.
Barkley delivered a free-kick that eluded everyone,
including Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, who delayed
his dive anticipating a touch from an Everton head
and watched the ball nestle inside his left-hand
post.
The goal brought the game to life and Everton
might have doubled their lead when makeshift
centre forward Gerard Deulofeu skipped past two
challenges but saw his shot from the edge of the
Spurs box held low down by Lloris.
Everton went close again on 15 minutes when
Barkley lofted a free-kick into the penalty area and
a looping header by Phil Jagielka forced a
scrambling Lloris to push the ball over his crossbar.
The hosts continued to dominate and threatened
once more when Deulofeu linked up neatly with
Mirallas on 21 minutes but Lloris made a
comfortable save at his near post.
– Crucial interventions –
Stekelenburg had been a spectator early on but the
Dutchman displayed solid handling on 28 minutes
to hold a Christian Eriksen shot after a rare moment
of promise from the visitors.
And there was a further blow for Tottenham 10
minutes before half-time when captain Lloris was
forced off by a hamstring injury and replaced by
Michel Vorm.
Tottenham began to escape their half more
frequently as half-time approached, but they were
unable to force Stekelenburg into action.
The hosts ought to have doubled their lead in first-
half stoppage-time, when Deulofeu seized on a poor
backpass from Danny Rose and raced clear of Jan
Vertonghen, but was denied by a smart save from
Vorm.
Everton started the second half on the front foot
and Tottenham’s Eric Dier had to make two crucial
interventions, first to block Deulofeu’s path to goal
with a sliding tackle and then to head the resulting
corner over his own crossbar.
Pochettino introduced pre-season signing Vincent
Janssen to the fray 13 minutes into the second half
and the striker created an opening immediately
when he drifted out wide, collected possession and
crossed for Dele Alli.
But the England midfielder curled a shot well wide
from the edge of the area.
There was no stopping Spurs just before the hour-
mark, however, as Kyle Walker found room on the
right and Lamela got the better of Everton debutant
Mason Holgate to head past a helpless Stekelenburg.
That goal rocked Everton, who were forced back for
a spell, but they caused a moment of concern for
Tottenham when the impressive Idrissa Gueye
exchanged passes with substitute Arouna Kone but
had his progress halted by Toby Alderweireld.
However, with 10 minutes remaining Everton
needed a superb save from Stekelenburg to prevent
the visitors taking the lead.
A shot from Rose was blocked by James McCarthy
but fell for Janssen, whose crisp strike was clawed
away one-handed by his fellow Dutchman at full
stretch.
And the keeper made another fine stop moments
later to divert a Lamela shot over the crossbar after
it deflected off Holgate.
No comments