Everton come from behind to beat unfortunate Cherries
AFC Bournemouth
- Attendance:
- 0
- :
- Martin Atkinson
Oumar Niasse comes off the bench to turn things around against AFC Bournemouth at Goodison Park.
King gave the Cherries the lead with a delicious low drive just after the break, though Niasse levelled with just over ten minutes left on the watch.
Niasse then headed the Toffees ahead as he bundled home from close range, the Cherries falling to a result they didn't deserve.
Junior Stanislas, Jordon Ibe and Dan Gosling came into the side as changes from the Cherries’ most recent Premier League outing eight days ago, Harry Arter missing his first game of the season due to injury.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges, though Everton soon threatened when Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed wide following a cross from the left.
Morgan Schneiderlin was booked for a late lunge on Andrew Surman, while Jermain Defoe profited from a charged-down clearance and passed to Stanislas who drove a low shot that was saved by Jordan Pickford.
Gylfi Sigurdsson went down very easily in the box under Gosling's challenge, referee Martin Atkinson not interested in the appeal.
There were soon Everton claims again in the area after Simon Francis caught Rooney with an arm as the two battled aerially, play on was the referee's call once more though the former England captain needed extended treatment on the sidelines to a gash above his eye.
Back in the fray, Rooney miskicked a good chance on the turn from ten yards, before a Bournemouth corner caused momentary panic in the home box.
Into the second half and still score-less, the opening goal soon arrived and it came from the Cherries.
Charlie Daniels passed inside to King from just inside the Toffees' half, the Norwegian turning and bearing down towards the penalty area. With plenty to do from 20 yards the striker struck low, the ball kissing the inside of the post on its way in for his second goal of the week.
Bournemouth's first league goal away from home was soon almost followed by a second. King broke clear and set up his strike partner, Defoe guiding a low effort across goal but seeing it repelled by the boot of Pickford.
The home fans were becoming restless and the anxieties could have deepened had Ibe or Gosling's shots not been blocked by Everton bodies.
With 20 minutes to go Everton's charge for an equaliser began. From a cross Mason Holgate headed goalwards, only for Surman to interject on the line and clear.
Everton were level on 77 minutes, Niasse the scorer from the substitute's bench.
Fellow replacement Tom Davies played the accurate ball through the away defensive line and Niasse quickly shuffled the ball into a shooting position and fired home with power.
Within five minutes Niasse turned the game around with his and Everton's second.
Davies was instrumental again, his shot blocked by Steve Cook, but the ball dropped kindly just under the bar with Niasse forcing the ball just over the line with his head.
Suddenly behind and chasing the game, substitute Lys Mousset glanced a cross marginally over Pickford's goal.
However, a second Bournemouth goal didn't come as the side slipped to a Goodison Park defeat that hadn't looked likely for most of the 90 minutes.
2017/18 highlights