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Sigurdsson stunner hands Silva first away win

Lyndon Lloyd Saturday, 6 October, 2018 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Leicester City 1 - 2 Everton

Gylfi Sigurdsson's 50th Premier League goal to win it was an absolute belter from 25 yards

Everton registered their first win of the season away from Goodison Park as a sublime strike by Gylfi Sigurdsson lifted the Blues over 10-man Leicester.

The game was evenly balanced as it moved past the hour mark after Ricardo Pereira had wiped out Richarlison's strike with a break-away goal late in the first half when a second yellow card for Wes Morgan handed the Blues an advantage.

And while Marco Silva's men had created by far the greater number of chances inside the box to that point, it was an explosive effort by Sigurdsson from 25 yards, his 50th Premier League goal, that proved to be the spectacular winner.

Acknowledging the impressive form of Bernard in the previous two games, Silva elected to start the Brazilian wide on the left and move his compatriot Richarlison up front and it was a decision that paid rich dividends just six minutes in.

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Bernard twisted the Leicester defence into knots with a brilliant run to the byline where he lofted a cross that Kasper Schmeichel could only bat into the path of Richarlison who side-footed home.

A penalty claim went unanswered by referee Andre Marriner when Sigurdsson appeared to fouled by Morgan in front of goal as the Icelandic international tried to convert Richarlison's low cross and Theo Walcott was also clipped as he drove into the box but, again, there was no action from the referee.

Leicester were almost wholly reliant on trying to spring Jamie Vardy with balls over the top, which yielded one heart-stopping moment with half an hour gone but Michael Keane did enough to prompt into firing wide.

Meanwhile, the visitors kept up their hunt for a second goal. Walcott saw a shot tipped over by Schmeichel and the goalkeeper made another low stop to deny Sigurdsson before the Blues' No.10 dragged a poor shot wide after Bernard's excellent interception.

Everton's impressive away display that point was undone, however, five minutes before the interval. A corner at one end was cleared from Leicester's goalmouth and Periera was sent away down the left flank. Turning Jonjoe Kenny inside out as he raced into the area, the Portuguese man fired in off Jordan Pickford to level the score.

The Foxes were largely dictating matters for the first quarter of the second half, with Everton looking more likely on the break, and it was the home side who came within inches of taking the lead. Ben Chilwell picked his way through unhindered outside the box before whipping a shot just past the post from 18 yards.

Back at the other end, lovely control by Walcott created a good chance for the winger but his soft shot was easily gathered. It was an unthreatening part of the pitch, however, where Morgan made his grave error. Already booked for dragging Richarlison down in the first half, the defender chopped the Brazilian down from behind near the centre circle and referee Marriner showed him a second yellow card.

That handed the initiative to Everton and though Schmeichel pulled off a double save to keep Lucas Digne and Tom Davies at bay and then helped a Sigurdsson effort wide a few minutes later, he could do nothing about the Icelander's winner.

Collecting a pass in a central position, Sigurdsson turned expertly past James Maddison, looked up and smashed a brilliant shot into the top corner.

With a bit more composure, Everton might have extended their lead but Kurt Zouma planted a free header from a corner over the bar which made the final stages more nervy for the travelling Blues than was necessary and Leicester almost grabbed a point at the death.

The home side won a corner in stoppage time that was whipped into the six-yard box where Daniel Amartey muscled in front of substitute Morgan Schneiderlin but put his header inches past the post.

The victory, a welcome one on the road under Silva after the leads that were surrendered at Wolves and Bournemouth, represents successive wins in the Premier League and puts the Blues in good shape heading into the international break before the home game against Crystal Palace.

 

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