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Everton U18s defeat Burnley to win CEE Cup!

Wednesday, 26 July, 2017 53comments  |  Jump to most recent
Burnley 1 - 3 Everton

Everton U18s withstood a second-half push from Burnley in the CEE Cup final to seal the win with Tom Warren's second goal at the ÄŽolà­Äek Stadium in Prague on Wednesday.

After a slow start, the Everton lads won both their last two games 6-0 and were in fine form against their Lancastrian neighbours Burnley, both sides having put paid to various Eastern European competitors to challenge for the trophy.

The GENERALI CEE Cup is an annual football tournament that brings some of the leading youth teams (Under-19s) from first leagues in, mainly Central & Eastern Europe to the Czech Republic, along with invited sides from some of the major world leagues.

The match kicked off at 6pm CET (5pm BST) and was streamed live on YouTube, with the video of the full match here;



Everton went ahead in the 17th minute through Tom Warren off a long-ball from the right wing. The score was doubled a minute later, a clinical finish from Simms off an excellent through-ball.

The Blues dominated the game without adding to the score well into the second half. Jordan Corke replaced Pawel Zuk on 65 mins. Everton became increasingly sloppy and it was no surprise when Burnley pulled a goal back with 20 minutes left.

Stung into an instant response, the Blues reacted well with Tom Warren driving home his second and Everton's third that would seal the win and a fine piece of gold-plated silverwarer fro the Everton Academy side, with Ellis Simms winning the Golden Boot.

Everton U18:

1 Nico Defreitas-Hansen
5 Stephen Duke-McKenna
3 Michael Collins
11 Con Ouzounidis
10 Nathan Moore
17 Tom Warren
7 Sid Kerr
15 Thomas Scully
19 Pawel Zuk
6 Anthony Gordon
16 Ellis Simms

Substitutes
2 Joe Anderson
4 Jordan Corke
9 Barney McKeown
12 Joe Hilton (GK)
14 Elliot Richards
29 Shayne Lavery
18 Joshua Zirkzee

 

Reader Comments (53)

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Derek Knox
1 Posted 26/07/2017 at 14:22:52
Seems to be a lot of development at the junior levels, which can only be healthy for the future of the Club.

While I always retain an interest, in all the young sides, I can't claim to be familiar with all the player's names, looking down the list of the squad, there was only 4 or 5 rang a bell. One of them Zirkzee, because there was a lot of publicity about us getting him over many sides last week!

COYYB

Brian Wilkinson
3 Posted 26/07/2017 at 14:24:58
Like the sound of Number 18, let's hope we get the lad signed.
Terry Underwood
4 Posted 26/07/2017 at 14:57:25
Good luck kids. Make us proud.

COYMB

Brian Cleveland
5 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:21:17
Nice finish that...
David Milner
6 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:21:42
1 - 0 Everton, Tom Warren. It's really been all Everton so far COYB.
David Milner
7 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:23:11
2 - 0 Everton, Ellis Simms. Cracking finish.
Michael Kenrick
8 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:27:37
Two well-taken goals... but rather a lot of long ball!
Bill Griffiths
9 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:32:24
Are these the lads that Kevin Sheedy would be looking after?
Michael Kenrick
10 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:34:47
If he was still at the club. I think it said Jack Danford or something like that on the card at the start.
Bill Griffiths
11 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:36:25
Thanks Michael.
Bill Griffiths
12 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:45:44
Anyone know the name of our no 6?
Michael Kenrick
13 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:45:47
Brilliant work from a corner there, smashed the bar!
Bill Griffiths
14 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:48:07
Cleverly worked the corner.
David Milner
15 Posted 26/07/2017 at 17:51:30
Bill @12

Players numbers above. Anthony Gordon.

Bill Griffiths
16 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:00:20
Thanks David. Zirkzee on the bench. Someone posted earlier that they had read somewhere that he had signed for Benfica?

Good dominant performance so far.

David Milner
17 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:05:05
Good first-half performance. The future looks good.

Forget £50 mill for 'the Sig' fast track Sid Kerr.

Ellis Simms 3 & half matches so far & 6 goals.

Con Ouzounidis & Michael Collins look a very good, solid central defensive pairing.

I don't think these lads would have been coached by Kevin Sheedy. I think he would have had them this year if he had of stayed.

David Milner
18 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:38:44
3 - 1 Everton, Tom Warren.
Andrew Keatley
19 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:38:48
3-1 up now. Last five minutes.
Bill Griffiths
20 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:41:30
Don't like the way we eased off in 2nd half. Should have kept pushing and kept pressure on.
Bill Griffiths
21 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:54:59
Well done, boys.
Jason Broome
22 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:55:10
Well done lads! Great result!
Paul Thompson
23 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:57:28
Some very tired legs and lads out there by the end. Not surprising as four hard games in a short space of time. Well done all round.
David Milner
24 Posted 26/07/2017 at 18:57:56
3 - 1 final score. Another trophy for the cabinet. Well done lads.
James Morgan
25 Posted 26/07/2017 at 19:05:46
Seems there is a winning mentality in our youth. Long may it continue.
Trevor McKinlay
27 Posted 26/07/2017 at 20:02:38
Not sure where you get Joshua Zirkzee being on the bench. He wasn't on the official teamsheet and has been training with Benfica the last couple of days .
Bill Griffiths
28 Posted 26/07/2017 at 20:31:16
Trevor, he's in the list of subs above.
Martin Nicholls
29 Posted 26/07/2017 at 20:54:47
Zirkzee appears on the post-match photo on the official web site.
James Flynn
30 Posted 26/07/2017 at 21:26:40
Yes, Zirkzee was shown getting his medal after the game. It's after the other lads got theirs. He and a couple others are off to the left, still in their jackets, being handed their medals.

Couple of mentions now of his being with Benfica. I've googled it different ways and... nothing. All I can find is the reports from last week, where we appeared to jump past Arsenal to sign him.

Nigel Munford
31 Posted 26/07/2017 at 21:30:15
Zirkzee played for us in one of the previous rounds, so I can't see how he's now training with Benfica.
Trevor McKinlay
32 Posted 26/07/2017 at 21:39:17
Fair enough, happy to be corrected! It's all over Twitter that he's training with Benfica, and the official teamsheet does not include him (posted by @cee_cup, the official tournament account). Looks like a great prospect.
Steve Ferns
33 Posted 26/07/2017 at 21:41:42
He doesn't look like a lad who is contracted to a trial and then is going to run off to Benfica, he was dishing out the medals to the other subs, had a big grin on his face and seemed very happy.

He looks a big lad, very broad, and dare I say it, built like a young Gullet. Not seen him play yet, hopefully, there's a bit more of Gullet in him?

Steve Ferns
34 Posted 26/07/2017 at 21:46:27
Been on Twitter, and the official account of the Competition say that the Everton coach said he was ill, so didn't play. But the fact he's clearly on the above video is no reason to think he's not joining or joined us.

If anything, he can see that we have a team that will win trophies, an age group ahead defending the trophy, and a first team that will give him an opportunity, managed by a Dutch legend with lots of Dutch coaches, and a Dutch star in the first team. I'm sure he will sign!

Trevor McKinlay
35 Posted 26/07/2017 at 22:03:52
Not seen the video, but I'm not convinced that's him in any of the photos on the official site. Think I'll have to wait for the announcement with the scarf before I get excited...
Dave Southword
36 Posted 26/07/2017 at 22:49:31
I thought Nathan Moore looked good of what I saw (bits of the second half). Good feet, calm on the ball and a crisp passer.
Trevor McKinlay
37 Posted 26/07/2017 at 23:03:45
Just watched the end of the video. That's not Joshua Zirkzee, it's Kevin Reid, U18 performance analyst:

http://www.evertonfc.com/content/club/academy/pear/performance-analysis/meet-the-team/performance-analysis/kevin-reid

Trevor McKinlay
38 Posted 26/07/2017 at 23:06:52
Can't believe we're comparing our performance analysts with Gullit on the basis of how they hand out medals!!
Si Cooper
39 Posted 26/07/2017 at 00:07:57
Pity it isn't Zirkzee. He'd have to be the most nonchalant, confident 16-year-old in the world to be casually hanging out with the grown men (who he's known for all of a week) while the rest of the lads are celebrating together 10 yards away.

If he is now with Benfica, then I guess he's doing the sensible thing and exploring all his options before he commits himself to his next club, and his games for us were on the basis of a trial.

John Smith
40 Posted 27/07/2017 at 06:15:41
Excellent pass by Sid Kerr (7) to set up that second goal!
John Smith
41 Posted 27/07/2017 at 07:11:23
https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/07/24/everton-look-have-beaten-arsenal-race-wonderkid-joshua-zirkzee-after-under-19s-appearance
David Milner
42 Posted 27/07/2017 at 10:12:48
Trevor @37

You may be right about the photo but you are wrong about the rest.

Go to YouTube & watch the video of Everton v FC Academy Pandev. You will clearly see that Zirkzee IS PLAYING & is wearing number 18.

It can't be Kevin Read playing wearing number 18 as Zirkzee has long hair (Kevin hasn't) & I believe you have to be under 19 to play in the tournament.

Check it out!!!!!

Rob Stuthridge
43 Posted 27/07/2017 at 10:51:18
Zirkzee update on Feyenoord site FR12NL says he is visiting Portugal on holiday and is not training with Benfica. (Source Dimitri Koopman)
Si Cooper
44 Posted 27/07/2017 at 12:39:08
David, no-one is disputing that Zirkzee played for us during this competition – just whether he was involved in the final.

I agree with Trevor that people have misidentified Kevin Reid (who does appear to have long hair) who was fulfilling his duties by accompanying the lads at this tournament, but certainly would not have played at any stage.

Joshua Zirkzee seems to be touring potential clubs and guesting / trialling. I presume we remain in the hunt but, until his signing is confirmed on the official site, I wouldn't assume he has joined us.

Andrew Keatley
45 Posted 27/07/2017 at 12:46:53
David (#42) – What? I don't think Trevor is disputing that Zirkzee played in that earlier game against Academy Pandev, merely suggesting that Zirkzee might have left the squad during the tournament (he was on trial, after all) and gone to train with Benfica.

Looks like Trevor may have been right, as Zirkzee did seem to be absent for the final – although it could have been through illness rather than the Benfica story; we shall see in due course.

The mixing up of Kevin Reid and Zirkzee was not something that Trevor was ever guilty of – in fact he's the one that resolved the confusion.

David Milner
46 Posted 27/07/2017 at 14:51:48
Andrew @46

Zirkzee was seen warming up on the touchline during the semi final but was not brought on as one of the subs.

Need I say more.

Phil Bellis
47 Posted 27/07/2017 at 14:54:53
In other news, I see Benitez's team have lost a young player to a bigger club.
Andrew Keatley
48 Posted 27/07/2017 at 15:08:29
David (#47) – I'm not saying the Benfica story has legs, I'm just saying that it might do – and it's entirely possible that he left the Everton squad after the semi-final.

What I am chiefly saying is that it seems like Zirkzee wasn't involved in the final – possibly due to illness, as the claim seems to be, but also possibly because he decided against sticking around for whatever reason.

I'm sure we'll find out one way or another what the truth is.

Robert Stuthridge
49 Posted 27/07/2017 at 15:19:24
According to Feyenoord fan site yesterday, Zirkzee is on holiday in Portugal. Nothing to do with Benfica.
David Milner
50 Posted 27/07/2017 at 17:30:09
Andrew @49

Zirkzee flew into 'John Lennon' & went straight to USM Finch Farm. After looking round & a bit of paperwork, he went to Goodison Park & ate at the Chippy opposite the ground.

He flew out with the squad later on in the day to Prague & played in the first match. After a good night's sleep the 'heavy English batter' played on his stomach & he felt unwell.

He was benched because of that. [Only rumours, of course!!!!!]

Phill Thompson
51 Posted 27/07/2017 at 17:34:24
Just to be clear, Joshua Zirkzee is about 2nd from right back row in the official winners photo. I don't know where he's been, but he's in that photo in Prague.
Mark Cooper
52 Posted 27/07/2017 at 17:36:52
If I am not mistaken (and I could be), I think Zirkzee was celebrating with the rest of the team in his tracksuit when they picked up the CEE Cup.
Andrew Keatley
53 Posted 27/07/2017 at 18:18:17
David (#49) – That pesky chippy...

Phill (#52) and Mark (#53) – I think that is where the confusion lies. Seems that that is not actually Zirkzee but Academy Performance Analyst Kevin Reid:

http://www.evertonfc.com/content/club/academy/pear/performance-analysis/meet-the-team/performance-analysis/kevin-reid

Phill Thompson
54 Posted 27/07/2017 at 19:38:17
Andrew (#54), cheers for that, happy to admit I'm wrong. It looked like Zirkzee with his hair tied back but that photo of Kevin Reid proves it.

I actually looked up Kevin Reid when his name came up at the start of the tournament, wondering if it was the ex Man City / Wrexham coach, never saw a pic though.

Trevor McKinlay
55 Posted 28/07/2017 at 21:20:20
I didn't mean to create a big argument, just pointing out the facts. Zirkzee was in Liverpool, flew out with the squad and played for us on trial in the final group game. He then fell sick and dropped to the bench in the semi-final.

He left the squad before the final and turned up in Portugal. Rumour has it he was on trial with Benfica, turns out he was on holiday with family. As I pointed out earlier, Kevin Reid was in the photos and video of the final, not him.

What all this means, who knows, but let's hope his experience with us was a good one and ultimately he signs with us. Koeman's pedigree and history with Feyenoord can only help.

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