Heartbreak at Goodison Park
Everton came all the way back from a two goals deficit to Fiorentina today, only to lose on penalty kicks. We were flying from the beginning and didn’t let up for 90 minutes. Lee Carsley, in particular, was immense in midfield even by his usual battling, all-action standard.
Our dominance produced an early goal from Andrew Johnson (16th minute) whose work rate was also phenomenal. Then in the 67th minute, Mikel Arteta scored on a wonder strike from at least 25 yards. That meant that Fiorentina’s 2-0 win in Florence had been erased and the match was dead even.
After that, if anything, we increased the pressure and only several amazing goal-line blocks and clearances preserved the stalemate for the Italians. Unfortunately, we ran out of steam in the overtime, when both teams rarely looked like scoring.
England and English teams other than Liverpool seldom win penalty kick shoot-outs (Tottenham also lost on penalty kicks today against Dutch giants Eindhoven), and once the match reached that stage I’m sure most Evertonians shared my sense of doom. But it was not fate, but rather the nerve and aplomb with which the Fionentina penalty takers dispatched their four spot kicks, that made the difference. For Everton, Arteta and Mad Dog Gravesen were successful. Yakubu was a little unlucky to see his shot hit the inside of the post but not go in, while Jagielka had his reasonably well struck shot well-saved by the outstanding Sebastian Frey.
Any team that loses on penalty kicks is unlucky in a sense. But the fact remains that Fiorentina (though totally outplayed today) competed better in Liverpool than Everton competed in Florence. So their victory is deserved.
We’ll probably be back in European competition next year, so let’s hope the lesson is learned.
