MATCH REPORT...
Everton 1-1 Southampton, 3-4 on penalties.
Everton blew their chance to progress in the Carabao Cup, falling behind to a late first half goal from Ings before Theo Walcott levelled it inside the final five minutes.
But, the penalty shootout hoodoo that has dogged Everton down the years reared its ugly head again as Southampton won the battle of the spot kicks
Tuesday night at the Grand Old Lady saw the mighty Blues in Carabao Cup action with Southampton the visitors. With an away tie against Leicester City awaiting the winners, Everton were looking to continue the kind of second half form that saw Fulham brushed aside at the weekend. Meanwhile Mark Hughes advised that he would be making changes to his side that have struggled in Premier League action so far.
With Evertonians keen that the club get the League Cup monkey off our backs and make a meaningful tilt at this competition, manager Marco Silva selected an amended line-up: Stekelenburg, Baines (c), Zouma, Keane, Kenny, Schneiderlin, Davies, Dowell, Lookman, Tosun and Bernard.
Having lost at Goodison on the opening day of the season in a game that saw five Saints yellow carded, Mark Hughes was desperate to see his side progress to alleviate some of the early pressure building on his Southampton tenure. He named his starting eleven: Gunn, Cedric, Yoshida (c), Bednarek, Stephens, Targett, Hojbjerg, Lemina, Redmond, Gabbiadini and Ings.
On a cool, breezy evening our referee was Chris Kavanagh.
A lively start by the visitors saw them earn two quick corners, conceded by Keane and Dowell, but unable to make anything of the set pieces. And when Ings got on the end of a ball down the left wing channel, Stekelenburg needed his legs to prevent the Blues falling behind.
Everton were looking tentative in the early exchanges before a nice pass on the turn from Davies released Lookman, his early cross forced away for a corner.
From the quarter hour mark, Everton began to relax and move the ball around and Lookman and Tosun both saw efforts blocked. Davies found Bernard who played a nice one-two with Tosun before firing in a low shot that Gunn was pleased to turn away for another Everton corner.
Lookman was seeing a good deal of the ball and another shot was blocked and came out to Bernard who jinked inside his man only for his low shot to lack any real power.
Bernard again off the left wing fed Lookman who thought about spreading it wide right before going on his own and bending a fine effort just wide with the goalie well beaten.
Kenny found Bernard with a raking cross field pass and the Brazilian forced another corner that disappointingly came to nothing.
Morgan Schneiderlin was booked on 38 minutes for a foul on Gabbiadini, and a momentary lack of concentration from the Frenchman saw possession lost and Redmond played in only for his low shot to come back off the post.
The warning wasn't heeded by the Blues as a minute before the interval, Redmond again got free on the left and his cut back to Ings was nearly finished inside the far post to give the Saints a lead they hardly deserved.
Half Time: 0-1
Marco Silva reacted to the half time deficit by withdrawing Kieran Dowell for Oumar Niasse.
There was more urgency about the Blues at the start of the second half, but no real cohesion despite the introduction of energy from Niasse. And Southampton seemed happy to employ timewasting tactics early while looking for chances to counter attack.
On 57 minutes a superb ball over the top from Bernard for Lookman saw him control and shoot, but Gunn had been quick off his line and held the shot.
Just before the hour mark, Ademola Lookman was withdrawn for Richarlison, a shame in my opinion as the youngster had worked hard and given a good account of himself.
From a Saints corner, Stekelenburg tipped over a point blank header and from the follow-up corner, Lemina fired wide from distance.
Niasse chanced his luck from 25 yards, but again the shot was straight at Gunn. Richarlison, on the next Blues attack, went down in the box but both the referee and VAR said no to half-hearted penalty appeals.
Everton were huffing and puffing, but as in recent weeks the lack of a cutting edge was costing them. Davies to Kenny and his cross saw Tosun head well wide of the target being a prime example.
Davis replaced Gabbiadini as the visitors looked to crowd the midfield for the final 18 minutes and Kenny crashed another 25-yard effort narrowly wide.
Theo Walcott replaced Schneiderlin with 12 minutes to play and Bednarek was booked for hauling down Niasse ahead of Richarlison again going down in the box with no decision going the Blues way.
Everton finally drew level in the 85th minute as Walcott found space on the right and coolly slotted home the equaliser.
The Blues couldn't find a late winner and we headed to the lottery of a penalty shootout.
Full Time: 1-1
Shootout.
Leighton Baines won the toss and naturally enough chose the penalties to go down to the Gwladys Street end of the ground with Everton to shoot first.
Baines led by example firing high to the goalies left. 1-0
Ings, to a chorus of boos, stutter-stepped to fire inside Steks left hand post.1-1
Cenk Tosun fired Everton 2-1 ahead into the bottom right corner.
Davis levelled it at 2-2 high into the top right corner.
Richarlison with an idiotic run-up fired over the bar.
Hojbjerg gave the visitors the advantage. 2-3
Kurt Zouma took the Blues fourth, blasting home. 3-3
Stekelenburg dived low to his right to deny Targett. 3-3
Gunn dived low to his left to deny Theo Walcott.
And Cedric fired the winner low to Steks left as he went right.
