Match Report | EVERTON 0-2 BOURNEMOUTH

Two first-half goals from the visitors make the difference as Everton are knocked out of the FA Cup.

Everton welcomed Bournemouth to Goodison Park for a 4th round cup tie that was also a third matchup between the two sides this campaign. David Moyes and company played an almost unchanged side from the 4-0 victory against Leicester City in the league. Mykolenko missed out due to a minor calf injury, so Ashley Young was introduced back into the side at left-back.

Bournemouth struck first in the match in the 23rd minute, as Tarkowski’ poor challenge on Semenyo in the box led to a penalty for the visitors. Semenyo took the penalty and buried it, giving the visitors a 0-1 lead. Unfortunately, Everton couldn’t make an impression on the match following the goal, and the visitors struck again just before halftime. Once again it was Tarkowski at fault, as the defender attempted a cross-field ball from his own box. The pass fell well short of its intended target and Bournemouth capitalized, with Daniel Jebbison eventually rolling the ball past Pickford to make the match 0-2 at halftime.

Everton came into their own as the second half progressed, spearheaded by the introductions of Jack Harrison and new signing Carlos Alcaraz. The debutant nearly scored direct from a free kick in the 72nd minute, but his powerful curling effort smacked agonizingly off the post. Shortly after, a corner kick eventually found its way to Branthwaite, who took his turn hitting the post as a strong header cannoned off. Finally, Harrison took his turn cannoning a cross off the post, one of the several instances of fantastic service in what was an influential cameo for the previously out of form winger.

Despite the rabid effort in the second half, Everton could not find the goals and ended up falling short in what will be the final FA Cup match to ever be played at Goodison Park. Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Harrison made fantastic cameos for the blues, and Iroegbunam was strong off the bench as well. Despite an extremely poor performance from Tarkowski, the backline was mostly strong throughout outside of a couple of moments that required intervention from Jordan Pickford.

Although not the ending to the Cup campaign Everton wanted, there is scarcely anytime to prepare before the last ever Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park against Liverpool on Wednesday.

COYB!