AFC Bournemouth 0 - 2 EvertonRomelu Lukaku deals Bournemouth knockout blow sending Everton through
Away team scorers
Ross Barkley 55
Romelu Lukaku 76
Brinkmanship is second nature to Everton and the manner of this victory might add to Roberto Martínez’s sense that they can pull this season from the fire. Had Joel Robles not saved Charlie Daniels’ first-half penalty, this might have been the latest tale of wayward finishing and skittish defending; in the event, Ross Barkley’s deflected shot tipped things in their favour and Romelu Lukaku completed the job against a Bournemouth side that played its part but, in the bigger picture, probably had less to lose here.
Everton’s previous visit to the Vitality Stadium, three months ago, had descended from total control into a chaotic 3-3 draw that serves as a parable of their season. Their home defeat to West Bromwich Albion last week was similarly illustrative but Martínez was happy enough with Everton’s work between the boxes to name an unchanged side here.
In its own way, that completed the picture. Martínez may be publicly optimistic of bridging a six-point gap to the Premier League’s European places but that would demand an unlikely turnaround; it would only be a minor exaggeration to say this was their season on the line and the occasion certainly felt more charged than for Bournemouth, whose seven changes reflected that their plight at the bottom of the league remains very much alive.
A rhythmic start from Everton was little surprise but nor was Bournemouth’s early exploration of a familiar vulnerability. Juan Iturbe had already dispossessed a dawdling Bryan Oviedo inside the left-back’s own half when, exposing Barkley similarly, he ran 50 yards up the left flank and struck a bobbling shot wide of Robles’ left post.
Barkley, among those watched by Roy Hodgson in the stands, had shown one of the tendencies most exasperating to his international manager. Iturbe, who has second-string hat-tricks against Gillingham and Leyton Orient to his name but is still settling into a loan move from Roma, was a tenacious presence in a front three that sought to make inroads on the counter.
Another forward, Junior Stanislas, found space to drive between Everton’s defence and midfield only to slash high. Lukaku would have given plenty to be afforded that level of room in the opening 28 minutes and, when he did, Everton found the opportunity their possession had never really threatened. Tommy Elphick, starting his second match after an ankle injury, had a 10-yard start to a ball along the left flank but was hunted down in a flash. Lukaku rounded the centre-back with ease and, after cutting in from a tight angle on the byline, was denied by the right boot of Adam Federici.
It was not an easy chance but Everton have little taste for the simple life. That was in further evidence after 37 minutes when James McCarthy, surprised to be tasked with clearing a Daniels corner near the penalty spot, greeted it with an outstretched arm. Martin Atkinson’s penalty award was straightforward; Joel Robles’ save was not, even if Daniels’ penalty, sent to his left, was at an amenable height. Three Bournemouth players were quick to the rebound; only one could make the shot and Evertonwere lucky the taker was right-back Simon Francis, who jabbed high and wide.
Romelu Lukaku scored Everton’s second goal from close range to send his side into the quarter-finals.
The incident illuminated a half of little real momentum or shape. Considerably more would be needed to avoid the much-debated spectre of a cup replay and it almost arrived three minutes after half-time when Seamus Coleman, flinging himself at a Thomas Cleverly corner, headed over.
Barkley’s breakthrough arrived via its own measure of fortune. Two wayward efforts had summed up his opening period but, when Cleverley laid the ball back outside the left corner of the penalty area, there was no deterring him from a third. This one, struck well enough, took a decisive clip off the former Everton midfielder Dan Gosling and arced over Federici.
Lukaku had a possible clincher ruled out for offside but increasingly Everton were getting the breaks. Shortly after the hour a Stanislas free-kick glanced off Lukaku, jumping with his back to the ball, and appeared to be spinning past a wrong-footed Robles. This deflection, though, sent the ball centimetres wide.
Gosling should have made amends but headed at Robles from a cross by Stanislas, who created another chance for the substitute Matt Ritchie.
Everton’s second came from the kind of improvisation that keeps even their most sceptical supporters keen. Whether Oviedo meant to find Gareth Barry’s feet at the near post with a corner was debatable; Barry’s initiative in backheeling first-time was not, and nor was Lukaku’s instinct in sweeping home with everyone else on their toes.
Guardain