Martinez - A valuable lesson

Satisfied Roberto Martinez felt Everton's 1-1 draw at FC Krasnodar on Thursday served as a valuable lesson in what to expect on the road in Europe.




The Blues travelled on to the continent for the first time in four years to tackle the Russian Premier League outfit and escaped with a point thanks to a Samuel Eto'o goal eight minutes from time.



The draw left Martinez's men with four points from their opening two games in Group H and Martinez said: "I am pleased because I thought Krasnodar played really, really well. I thought they started with a lot of energy and they pressed us really high up the field.



"I was very pleased with the manner that we stayed in the game because they created a couple of opportunities. We showed an incredible character to know to we had to wait a little bit and then be able to get ourselves back in the game.



"I think we finished the second half really, really strongly and I think the energy levels were in our favour at that point.



"It’s an incredible result for us to be able to get something from a very good side who used their home advantage very well.



"We were able to weather the storm in a couple of periods and then I felt we finished really strongly and could have won it at the end."



Recalled to the starting line-up, three-time Champions League winner Eto'o used his past European nous to fine effect.



The Cameroonian was even seen dishing out advice to his team-mates in the immediate aftermath of his strike and Martinez added: "The experience we have in the squad is really important for us and it’s been a fantastic learning curve for us as a group.



"To come to a place like today, where you don’t really know what to expect and where you can’t really be yourselves and do what your good at, it's tough. Then, it’s just about the experience of waiting for your moment and keeping composed.



"I think Samuel [Eto’o] had that and I think we’ll learn a lot from the game because I think that is what European football is about – going into the unknown.



"You can follow a team as much as you like, but until you are in that environment, in that situation playing the game, it is impossible to know what is coming. That’s why I am so delighted with the manner in which we stayed focus, kept fighting and showed incredible character at the end to finish really strongly.



"For us to be unbeaten after the two games is very pleasing."