Everton vs. Wolfsburg: Winners and Losers from Europa League Game
Everton made their return to European competition after a four-year absence, Thursday, and marked the occasion by beating Wolfsburg 4-1 at Goodison Park.
They were helped into the lead by a Ricardo Rodriguez own goal but led 2-0 at the break and 4-0 before Rodriguez at least partially redeemed himself with a stunning free-kick in second-half injury time.
Steven Naismith, who has been in tremendous nick for the Toffees to start the Premier League campaign, successfully transferred his form to the Europa League, and midfielder James McCarthy also impressed over the 90 minutes.
Both players, as well as Rodriguez, will be highlighted in the following slides, which will underline some of the winners and losers from Thursday's encounter.
Winner: Steven Naismith, Who Transferred His Premier League Form to Europe
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Steven Naismith has scored three goals in four Premier League matches this season, and on Thursday he transferred his form from the English top flight to the Europa League.
Although Everton's 15th-minute opener was eventually deemed a Ricardo Rodriguez own goal, it was Naismith who had everything to do with it—first initiating a give-and-go with James McCarthy and then taking a shot from in close that hit both Rodriguez and goalkeeper Diego Benaglio before crossing the line.
Until his withdrawal in the 82nd minute, the 28-year-old also showed commitment on the defensive side of the ball and was key to Everton's transition game in those moments they found themselves under considerable pressure.
Loser: Ricardo Rodriguez, Who Scored an Own Goal
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Ricardo Rodriguez deserved to score a goal on Thursday.
No Wolfsburg player was as active in the attacking third; none of his teammates were able to find the openings he created on the left-hand side.
When he finally found the back of the net—scoring on a spectacular free-kick in one of the final moments of the match—he fully deserved it.
But he also opened the scoring at Goodison Park, and not for his own side.
With Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio having prematurely gone to ground with Steven Naismith approaching the goalmouth, Rodriguez threw himself into the line of fire and ended up helping the ball over the goal line.
Winner: James McCarthy, Who Did Just About Everything to Help Everton Win
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James McCarthy made things happen in the attacking third for Everton, and he also turned up with some key defensive interventions on Thursday.
In the 15th minute, his one-touch exchange with Steven Naismith led to the Toffees' opener, and he completed the first half without having misplaced a single one of his passes (statistics courtesy WhoScored.com).
Shortly after the hour-mark, he made an important block to ensure Maximilian Arnold's shot didn't hit the target, and in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, he made an outstanding, last-ditch tackle to keep Aaron Hunt from testing Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard.
At the final whistle the 23-year-old had completed 98 percent of his passes.
Loser: Diego Benaglio, Who Was Swimming in the Wolfsburg Goal
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Everton put seven shots on target, Thursday, and they found the back of the net with four of them.
Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio was abysmal at Goodison Park, and while it was Ricardo Rodriguez who was charged with the own goal in the 15th minute, the former Switzerland international was just as culpable, if not even more responsible, for the mishap than his team-mate.
Benaglio might also have done better on Seamus Coleman's header in first-half stoppage time, but there was little he could do about the Leighton Baines penalty early in the second period.
The 31-year-old's distribution out of the back was also poor, with fewer than a third of his passes and goal-kicks finding fellow Wolfsburg players.
Winner: Tim Howard, Who Quite Nearly Kept a Clean Sheet
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While Diego Benaglio struggled at one end of the park, Tim Howard shone at the other.
The United States goalkeeper made 12 saves on Thursday, and many of the spectacular variety.
Midway through the second half, he made a pair of stops in quick succession on Ricardo Rodriguez and Daniel Caliguiri, and he stretched himself out to deny Kevin De Bruyne's daisy-cutter to the far corner as well.
He deserved to keep a clean sheet, and there was nothing he could have done to prevent Rodriguez from pulling one back for Wolfsburg with a superb, late free-kick.
Loser: Robin Knoche, Who Conceded a Penalty
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Like many of his teammates in defensive positions, Robin Knoche had a nightmare on Thursday.
Late in the first half, he was completely lost as Seamus Coleman ghosted in to double Everton's lead with a header from in close, and shortly after the restart his foul on Aiden McGeady sent Leighton Baines to the spot.
The 22-year-old was decent enough with the ball at his feet, but on the back foot, he was caught out repeatedly by an Everton outfit that took advantage of him time and again.
