LIVERPOOL: Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane scored as Everton claimed a deserved 2-0 Premier League win over Fulham on Saturday in a game in which they had the ball in the net on five occasions.
Everton moved up 11th in the table with 15 points from 11 games, while Fulham remained 15th with 11 points from the same number of matches.
Everton were full value for their victory and had three goals disallowed for offside as the ability to finish chances that has largely eluded them for much of this season returned.
Fulham have lost four of their last five games in the Premier League and sit a point above the relegation zone having never seriously threatened the Everton goal in what will be another worrying display for manager Marco Silva.
Everton had the ball in the net on three occasions in the first half, but only one counted.
Thierno Barry, having his best performance in an Everton shirt, and James Tarkowski both had efforts disallowed for offside, before it was third time lucky when Gueye’s effort stood in the fourth minute of added time before the break.
Tarkowski’s header from Jack Grealish’s cross struck the crossbar and Tim Iroegbunam’s scuffed shot from the rebound fell kindly for Gueye to smash the ball into the net.
Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also had a goal ruled out for offside early in the second period, before Fulham started to work their way into the game.
Rodrigo Muniz came off the bench on 58 minutes and went off again on 75 minutes after feeling unwell, but he forced a good low stop from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Everton’s second goal finally arrived on 81 minutes when Michael Keane looped the ball into the net off his shoulder from Dewsbury-Hall’s corner to make sure of the points for the hosts.
Everton ease to dominant 2-0 home win over Fulham
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Everton ease to dominant 2-0 home win over Fulham
- Everton moved up 11th in the table with 15 points from 11 games
- Everton were full value for their victory and had three goals disallowed for offside
Desert Vipers hold nerve to edge Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20 thriller
- Key contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Khuzaima Tanveer prove decisive as the Vipers weather tense finish to overhaul target of 171
- Knight Riders start well, reaching 87 in 10 overs, but momentum shifts in second half of their inning as the Vipers’ spinners struck back
SHARJAH: Desert Vipers made it two wins out of two in the DP World International League T20, as they held their nerve to secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Shimron Hetmyer’s counterattacking 48 off 25 balls, and a late-order cameo from Khuzaima Tanveer, who hit 31 off just 12 deliveries, proved decisive as the Vipers weathered a tense finish to overhaul a target of 171.
Sent in to bat, the Knight Riders made a confident start through Phil Salt and Alex Hales, with the latter anchoring the inning to top-score with 53 off 37 balls.
Despite reaching 87 in 10 overs, however, the momentum shifted in the second half of the inning as the Vipers’ spinners began to strike regularly. Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad led the middle-overs fightback, dismissing Hales and triggering a collapse as the Knight Riders lost five wickets.
Andre Russell’s unbeaten 36, and useful contributions from Alishan Sharafu and Unmukt Chand, at least helped Abu Dhabi reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize on the side’s strong opening.
The Vipers began explosively in reply, smashing a tournament-record 19 runs from the first over. However, early wickets then left them wobbling on 44/3. Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence rebuilt the attack before the latter combined with Hetmyer for a crucial 68-run stand that swung the contest back in the their favor.
Late strikes from Ajay Kumar and Russell, the latter dismissing Hetmyer for his 500th T20 wicket, set up a tense finish, but Tanveer delivered under pressure. Needing eight runs off the final over, he sealed victory with a six and a boundary.
“It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape but an outstanding result for us,” said Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain.
“ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”
Knight Riders’ stand-in skipper Sunil Narine felt his side had been lacking with the bat: “We were 15-20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay and that phase was crucial for us.
“The conditions eventually worked in their favor and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day that’s part of the game.”
The result leaves the Vipers well placed at this early stage of the tournament, while the Knight Riders were left to reflect on missed opportunities after such a strong start.
