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Jelavić strike lifts Everton over Spurs

Lyndon Lloyd , 10 March, 74comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur
Everton go into this televised, late-afternoon kick-off looking to make it nine games unbeaten in all competitions since their last defeat, coincidentally enough against Spurs in January. Phil Jagielka is on the bench, with Neville selected ahead of Hibbert at right-back, while Nikica Jelavić gets his home debut but with Cahill behind him instead of having Stracqualursi as a strike partner. KO is 5:30pm. KO is 5:30pm.

Match Summary

Coleman started the game playing on the left partnering Leighton Baines in the absence of Steven Pienaar, ineligible to play against the team from whom he is being loaned.

Sylvain Distin needed to be alert after a poor pass from Osman. At the other end, Drenthe and Osman combined well but the shot is driven wide as Everton started to get into the match.

Gareth Bale was getting ample room down the Everton left where defensive duties seemed to suffer as Baines was getting forward well.

Osman did well to dispossess Mondric, while at the other end a Coleman shot was deflected safely into the goalkeeper's hands. Heitinga had to put in an excellent stop to deny Defoe who had run into the area and was about to shoot.

Fellaini got a good chance off a Jelavic header down but the angle was narrow and the keeper stuck out his leg to save. Moments later and absolutely brilliant work by Osman, a fantastic pullback ball perfect for Jelevaic who struck it well and Brad Freidel could only push it on to the post and in to give Everton a worthy lead.

How would Everton play with such a wonderful first half advantage? The answer came quickly with Everton searching forwarded every opportunity looking to build on that lead. Osman was having an excellent game and almost repeated the scoring move minutes later. Then Drenthe came forward and had a good shot that was deflected but Friedel saved.

Tottenham were being well contained by the Blues' defense but Bale had to have a poke from distance that was well wide of Howard's post. Spurs won a soft free kick in a good position and Bale had another poke with the same result.

Everton won a dangerous free kick and Jelly stepped up to put in a superb shot around the Spurs wall and Friedel had to be very alert to push it around the post.

But the pace flag somewhat toward the break, Everton failing to take advantage, Osman giving the ball away too easily with a pass that Modric picked off far too easily. Spurs pressed hard toward the break, but could not breach a resolute Everton defense.

After the break and Spurs were straight into the action Defoe firing a good shot on target for Howard to save. Spurs kept pressing and the Blues were hanging on their nerves a little, working to retain their lead.

Defoe got free and had another good shot at Howard as Louis Saha warmed up to come on in placeof Adeybayor, Everton going on the back foot almost immediately, struggling to make much work going forward. Another lively Spurs attack ended with Modric firing over. I shockingly poor corner from Bale was followed by a poor foul by Assou-Okotu that earnt him a yellow card, with Jermain Defoe following him into the book soon after.

The hour mark came and Coleman fouled Assou-Okotu in the Dee... Kabul blasting the ball hilariously high and wide from the free kick. Jack Rodwell then coming on to replace Royston Drenthe, with Moyes going to secure a famous 1-0 victory.

But where is had other ideas, with Defor getting another shot on Howard has have a med Redknapp made his second substitution. Saha showed some turkey work cutting in the past at Neville and shooting into Serevent Diskus face

Everton finally mounted the first attack of the second half Coleman pushing the ball out wife to Osman in acres of space for a great chance for great chance but it was poorly executed, his shot going straight it Friedel. I poor sign of Everton's lack of adventure was the inevitable passing back to Howard, with Spurs continually allowed to apply more and more pressure.

With Everton becoming very stretched and panicky, Defoe fired home but thankfully was well offside. Jelavic had been ineffective in the second half an was finally replaced by Stracqualursi as the minutes ticked away.

Johonny Heitinga went in the book when another dangerous free kick was conceded. But Bale's floater went nowhere. Could the Blues hold on for 10 more minutes? David Moyes decided to increase the odds by swapping out Coleman for Jagielka.

Everton were shockingly poor when breaking from defense, Baines too easily dispossessed to set up yet another in a relentless stream of Spurs attacks. Redknapp swapped Parker for Livermore as Everton soaked up more and more pressure from a succession of Modric corners.

Into the last minute of full-time and incredibly five minutes of added time went up on the fourth official's board. The visitors kept plugging away with Everton backtracking but staying solid and continuing to neutralize every Spurs attack, a deflected shot from Vandover on sending five to close to the bar. in something of a scramble Saha poked the ball against Howard's post and away off Howard's knee he knew nothing about it, but got a card on 95 minutes for time wasting.

The game finally ended with another crazy sequence of headers ending in a safe by Alan and will see learning a little after 5½ minutes added time. A tremendous result for all Blues and David Moyes as he approaches his 10-year anniversary in the Goodison hotseat, finally propelling the side into a decent run of form after a dreadful first half to the season that can should not be forgotten in all the hoopla.

Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard; Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Fellaini, Osman, Drenthe; Cahill; Jelavić.
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Jagielka, Rodwell, Stracqualursi, Gueye, Anichebe.

Quotes or other material sourced from ToffeeWeb Match Report Page

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