Saturday 23 April 2016

Everton Vs Man Utd

REPORT: EVERTON 1 UNITED 2

Emirates FA Cup semi-final | 23 April 2016 | Wembley
Stadium | Attendance: 86,064 | Scorers: Fellaini 34,
Martial 90+3; Smalling o.g. 75

Manchester United will have the chance to win a
first FA Cup in 12 years after booking a return trip
to Wembley in next month's final in the most
dramatic fashion with an injury-time winner from
Anthony Martial, following yet more heroics from
David De Gea.

Former Toffees man Marouane Fellaini, one of four
changes to the side with Tim Fosu-Mensah,
Marcos Rojo and Michael Carrick also coming in,
put the Reds in front on 34 minutes before De Gea
saved a Romelu Lukaku penalty and Chris Smalling
put through his own net. Then followed the classic
United late drama as substitute Ander Herrera put
Martial through and the Frenchman coolly slotted
home in front of the jubilant United fans.
The Reds had already enjoyed two wins out of two
from the season's league meetings with Everton
and the opening quarter of the match brought hope
a third would follow, with United dominating
possession and looking sharp in attack. But in
Lukaku, Everton had a pacy, skilful outlet and, while
the Reds created the majority of the early
openings, United still needed De Gea to make some
customary solid stops and Wayne Rooney, playing
in a midfield role once more, to run the length of
the field to head off the line as Lukaku threatened.
In Rooney, Martial and Marcus Rashford, the Reds
had three attackers who looked well in the
mood. Martial was off and running at the Everton
defenders from the start and should have scored
on 21 minutes when Jesse Lingard put him through,
but the Frenchman blasted over.
Before that, Rojo had headed wide, Lingard had
seen a shot saved by Joel Robles in the Everton
goal after being found brilliantly by Rooney.
Rashford was next to be denied by Joel after
taking aim from Fellaini's knock-down as the
frenetic pace continued.

United's deserved breakthrough duly arrived 11
minutes before the break when Martial burst
towards the touchline for the umpteenth time and
pulled the ball back for former Everton man Fellaini
to steer home from close range.

HALF-TIME STATISTICS
Possession: Everton 42% United 58%
Shots: Everton 5 United 11
Shots on target: Everton 4 United 5
Corners: Everton 0 United 4

The second half began as the first had ended, with
United on top and creating more chances, the best
of which fell to Lingard after a move involving
fellow youngsters Fosu-Mensah, Rashford and
Martial, whose backheel set Lingard up for a shot,
but he dragged it wide.

Everton sparked into life 11 minutes after the
restart when Aaron Lennon broke forward and
found Ross Barkley. Fosu-Mensah went in for the
tackle with referee Anthony Taylor adjudging it to
be a foul even though the young defender appeared
to get the ball. Lukaku stood over the penalty but
De Gea, the man who thwarted Leighton Baines
from the spot last season, dived brilliantly to his
right to push the spot-kick away.

Despite the setback for Roberto Martinez's men,
they well and truly had their tails up and continued
their onslaught on the United goal. Tom Cleverley
fired wide as he flew in at the back post, while
Barkley shot wide when given an opening.

United were struggling to get a foothold in the
game, although Fellaini went close to bundling the
ball home on 65 minutes. Everton continued to
threaten and drew level 15 minutes from time in
the cruelest of fashions from a United perspective,
as substitute Gerard Deulofeu's cross was
deflected into his own goal by Smalling.

The Everton sub forced a top save from De Gea
soon after, while Fellaini made what looked to be a
goal-saving tackle as Lukaku took aim after
Everton broke forward from a United corner.

It looked like extra-time would be needed, but the
Reds' never-say-die spirit made sure that would
not be the case as, in injury time, Martial latched
onto Herrera's poked through-ball to send United
fans into raptures and his team into next month's
FA Cup final. See you in May, Wembley!

FULL-TIME STATISTICS
Possession: Everton 45% United 55%
Shots: Everton 16 United 22
Shots on target: Everton 8 United 7
Corners: Everton 2 United 7

THE TEAMS
Everton: Joel, Baines, Gibson, Stones, Jagielka (c),
Lukaku, Lennon (Deulofeu 70), Cleverley, McCarthy,
Besic, Barkley.
Subs not used: Howard, Hibbert, Oviedo, Mirallas,
Osman, Pennington.
Booked: Barkley

United: De Gea, Fosu-Mensah (Valencia 61),
Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Carrick, Fellaini (Herrera 87),
Lingard, Rooney (c), Martial, Rashford.
Subs not used: Romero, Darmian, Schneiderlin,
Mata, Memphis.
Booked: Rooney, Herrera, Martial

MATCH REACTION
"I can't remember the last time I had a feeling like
this - it's a phenomenal feeling." - Michael Carrick

"It’s fantastic when you see the joy in the eyes of
the players. But also for the fans, because I think
we deserved to reach the final." - Louis van Gaal

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