Everton vs. Wolfsburg: Score, Grades and Reaction from Europa League Game
Everton marked their return to Europe with a 4-1 victory over visiting Wolfsburg in a UEFA Europa League Group H match at Goodison Park on Thursday night.
Playing European football for the first time since 2009, the Toffees took the lead in the 15th minute via an own goal following a flowing team move.
Seamus Coleman doubled the home side's advantage just before half-time with a close-range header, and Leighton Baines made it 3-0 with an emphatic penalty early in the second half.
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Kevin Mirallas added Everton's fourth in the 89th minute before Ricardo Rodriguez—who had been credited with the own goal earlier—netted a consolation goal for the visitors with a fine free-kick.
With the win, Everton moved to the top of Group H with three points after Lille and Krasnodar drew 1-1 in the group's other match. The Toffees play at Krasnodar on Oct. 2, while Wolfsburg host Lille.
"Really important win. Dipped quite drastically after the third and certainly made Howard work, but a perfect start to the Europa League.
— Matt Cheetham (@Matt_Cheetham) September 18, 2014"
Manager Roberto Martinez named an unchanged XI from Everton's win at West Brom last weekend in the Premier League, a move that hinted at the Spaniard's intentions in Europe this season.
And the potential reward hinted at his reasoning. The winners of this season's Europa League will earn the reward of a spot in the 2015-16 Champions League.
Following a nervy start, Everton quickly found their feet and took the lead in the 15th minute via a fine team move that ended in a Wolfsburg own goal.
The move flowed in and out on Everton's left flank, James McCarthy picking out Baines as the latter made a run down the wing. Baines then passed into the middle for Naismith, whose shot found the back of the net after travelling through a crowded box.
Replays showed the last touch belonged to Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, who was hit by the ball as Rodriguez attempted to clear off the line. Rodriguez was eventually credited with the own goal, though it made little difference to Everton.
The Toffees nearly found a second goal four minutes before half-time as Romelu Lukaku tested Benaglio with a fiercely struck free-kick from long distance. The striker curled his shot past the wall and toward the bottom corner, but Benaglio moved across his line quickly to push the ball away.
Everton didn't have to wait long, however, as Coleman doubled the lead in stoppage time. Mirallas created the initial chance, stinging Benaglio's palms with a snap shot from the left. The rebound fell to Baines, who bounced a pass across the box to Coleman.
Standing a step inside the six-yard box, Coleman stooped to head in for a 2-0 lead on the stroke of half-time.
The goal put Everton in a commanding position at half-time, and within moments of the restart, the Toffees went further ahead.
In the 46th minute, Aiden McGeady drew a penalty after being fouled along the edge of the box by Wolfsburg's Robin Knoche. Replays showed that the contact had occurred outside the box, but the referee awarded a penalty, which Baines converted confidently for a 3-0 lead.
Everton were comfortably ahead by that point, and yet the home side still had to defend. In the 53rd minute, goalkeeper Tim Howard made a pair of saves, keeping out Daniel Caligiuri and then Luiz Gustavo. Two minutes later, the American tipped away Rodriguez's curling free-kick as Wolfsburg continued to exert pressure.
The visitors introduced former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner in the 61st minute, and six minutes later, Howard saved again from Maximilian Arnold. Then in the 68th minute, Naldo curled a free-kick just wide of the near post with Howard rooted to his spot in the middle of goal.
Everton made a change of their own in the 69th minute, introducing Samuel Eto'o to the attack in place of Lukaku. The Cameroonian striker set up a good chance four minutes later, holding up possession before picking out Naismith with an angled pass down the middle. Naismith passed to McGeady, who curled his shot over the bar.
At the other end, Wolfsburg came close again in the 74th minute via De Bruyne, whose shot was tipped around the post by Howard. Four minutes later, Ivica Olic fired into the side netting from a tight angle as Howard raced off his line.
The German side simply could find no way past Howard, and instead Everton added their fourth goal in the 89th minute. Eto'o played the role of provider, sliding a precise pass through to Mirallas, who timed his run perfectly to slip behind Wolfsburg's defence. After taking a pair of touches, Mirallas slotted in at the near post.
By then the result was beyond doubt, but Rodriguez curled in a fine free-kick in stoppage time to give Wolfsburg a consolation goal.
Grades
Everton, Overall: A-
Martinez named an unchanged XI from Everton's Premier League victory at West Brom at the weekend. The decision served as a clear statement of Martinez's intent for this match and possibly in the Europa League overall.
It worked, too, as the Toffees turned in an efficient performance to beat Wolfsburg and take full points in what could be a tough group. After converting their two best chances of the first half, Everton sealed the win with Baines' penalty minutes into the second half.
Wolfsburg then enjoyed an extended spell of pressure and eventually scored a late goal, but the home side's goal was not breached until stoppage time, when the result was well beyond doubt. Until then Howard kept the visitors out with a string of fine saves.
Martinez will be concerned by how much danger Wolfsburg posed in the second half, but that is only a quibble, and overall Everton have made a strong start to their Europa League campaign.
Tim Howard, Everton: A
Howard was massive in goal for Everton, making 12 saves to thwart any chance of a Wolfsburg comeback in the second half. The American goalkeeper could do nothing to save Rodriguez's late free-kick, and the goal should not diminish an outstanding display.
Per @OptaFranz, the 12 saves tied a Europa League record.
Leighton Baines, Everton: A
Though Baines plays on the left side of defence, he was central to all of Everton's best attacking efforts against Wolfsburg. The England international set up his side's first two goals before netting one of his own—his first in European competition—early in the second half.
Post-Match Reaction
