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Everton logo
Europa League | Group Stage
Sep 18, 2014 at 8.05pm UK
 
Wolfsburg

4-1

Rodriguez (15' og.), Coleman (45'), Baines (47' pen.), Mirallas (89')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Rodriguez (94')

Live Commentary: Everton 4-1 Wolfsburg - as it happened

Join Sports Mole for all the action from the Europa League Group H clash between Everton and Wolfsburg at Goodison Park.
2

Everton began their Europa League campaign against Wolfsburg in their clash at Goodison Park on Thursday.

Both sides were making their first appearance in the competition since the 2009-10 season, and were looking to kickoff their European season with a victory.

Roberto Martinez's side showed a clinical edge in front of goal to run out 4-1 winners, as goals from Steven Naismith, Seamus Coleman, Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas handed them the victory.

Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.


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Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Europa League clash between Everton and Wolfsburg at Goodison Park.

The Toffees are embarking on their first campaign in Europe since the 2009-10 season when they reached the last 32 of the Europa League. Roberto Martinez will be determined to get off to a good start in his first European match tonight against the German side.

Everton are coming into this game in good form following their 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion last week in the Premier League. They also kept their first clean sheet of the season in that match and will be hopeful that defensive improvement will continue this evening.

The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.

EVERTON STARTING XI: Howard, Coleman, Baines, Stones, Jagielka, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, McGeady, Naismith, Lukaku.

EVERTON SUBS: Joel, Gibson, Alcaraz, Eto'o, Besic, Atsu, Osman.

WOLFSBURG STARTING XI: Benaglio, Caligiuri, Olic, De Bruyne, Malanda, Luiz Gustavo, Jung, Naldo, Arnold, Knoche, Rodriguez.

WOLFSBURG SUBS: Grun, Bendtner, Schafer, Klose, Hunt, Guilavogui, Klich.

Martinez has named an unchanged side for his team's win over West Brom at the weekend. Romelu Lukaku continues to lead the line with support from the trio of Steven Naismith, Kevin Mirallas and Aiden McGeady behind him. Gareth Barry and James McCarthy will sit in front of the back four, which sees John Stones continue at centre-back in the absence of Sylvain Distin.

Wolfsburg boss Dieter Hecking has also named an unchanged team for this evening's game from his side's 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim in their Bundesliga clash at the weekend. Former Chelsea winger Kevin De Bruyne will be looking to make an impact after failing to make the grade in England, while Brazilian defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo will be hoping to keep things tight at the back. Nicklas Bendtner features on the bench for the German side after being released by Arsenal in the summer.

STAT ATTACK: Everton haven't lost a game against a German team in their European clashes. They have played five times against German opposition, winning twice and drawing three times.

STAT ATTACK: Wolfsburg's two trips to England have both ended in 2-1 defeats. The German side lost to Manchester United in the Champions League in 2009, and then lost to Fulham in the Europa League in 2010.

STAT ATTACK: Wolfsburg are also without a victory in their last four European matches.

The players are making their way out onto the pitch so we should be underway shortly.

KICKOFF! We're underway at Goodison Park

Gustavo picks the ball up in midfield and tries to release the run of De Bruyne down the middle, but Jagielka is aware to the danger and intercepts the tame pass. Solid start from the Toffees.

Stones makes a mistake that allows De Bruyne to raid at the Everton defence. The winger tries to thread a pass through to Olic, but fortunately for Martinez's men the linesman's flag goes up for offside.

Tentative start from the home side as they've given the ball away a lot while they have also been playing themselves into a little bit of trouble at the back. Coleman's backpass to Stones was pre-meditated and forced the England international to boot the ball away under pressure from Olic. More composure needed from the Premier League side.

Sloppy play from the home side again as McCarthy is dispossessed in midfield and allows Gustavo to have a run at Coleman down the right. The defender is up to the task as he blocks the Brazilian's cross behind for a corner.

Everton's defending from the corner is far from convincing as Coleman is forced to hack it clear on the near post. Wolfsburg have a neat interchange around the box, and De Bruyne finally decides to take on a shot, but Stones makes a block and the home side manage to clear their lines.

Wolfsburg threaten again down the left-hand side as Coleman is caught out of position and that leads to a shooting opportunity for De Bruyne. The former Chelsea man works a one-two with Arnold, but he blasts his shot well over the bar. Another warning sign for Everton.

Better from the home side as Lukaku gets involved in the game. First he outbattles Naldo on the edge of the box, although his attempted pass to McGeady fails to find the Irishman. Then he does well down the flank as he beats Jung to force a corner for his side.

GOAL! Everton 1-0 Wolfsburgh (Naismith)

An incisive breakaway from Everton ends in the opening goal of the game as Naismith prods the ball home from close range. The Scot was involved in a brilliant move as Baines fed him in midfield and he then released the left-back, who himself linked up with McCarthy. Baines then cut the ball back to Naismith in the box and his shot had just enough to beat Benaglio, with the aid of deflection from Rodriguez.

Benaglio appears to have been hurt in the goal and there is a slight delay while he is treated off the pitch for an eye injury.

CHANCE! Wolfsburg try to hit back immediately and space opens up for Gustavo down the middle 25 yards from goal. The Brazilian tries to beat Howard with a strike from distance but the keeper beats the ball away with his fists.

CHANCE! Caligiuri should fire his side level as he latches onto a pinpoint cross from deep from Rodriguez. The winger had the beating of Baines and was goalside, but he just couldn't get enough on his shot to beat Howard from close range.

CHANCE! End-to-end this match at the moment as Everton threaten through McGeady, who sees his effort well blocked by Naldo inside the box, after Mirallas had done well to cut the ball back to him.

Lukaku's touch in and around the box hasn't been at its best in the first 25 minutes of the game. There have been more than a few times when he has had possession in the final third and his pass to a teammate has been misplaced.

Olic collects a pass from Arnold in the inside right channel and he looks to beat Stones, but instead launches an ambitious effort at goal, which flies straight into the crowd behind the goal. That shot had absolutely nothing going for it.

Lukaku's distribution improves as he lofts a pass into the forward run of Naismith who bursts into the box. Jung and Malanda desperately try to get back at the Scot as he attempts to fire a volley at goal, but the Belgian midfielder does just enough to win the ball from him before he can shoot.

SHOT! Wolfsburg are working hard up front but are yet to carve any clear-cut chances. De Bruyne has another effort from distance that travels at speed across the ground, but Howard is there to make a comfortable stop down to his right.

The tempo has dropped slightly in the last few minutes as Everton are trying to control the game with a patient possession game. They're not getting much penetration into the final third, but with the lead going into the break, I don't think they'll mind too much.

CHANCE! Lukaku is felled 25 yards from goal by Malanda and the referee awards a free kick. The forward curls his set piece over the wall and towards the bottom corner, but Benaglio gets down low to his left and palms the ball away from goal. It was a decent attempt by Lukaku but lacked the power to beat the Swiss keeper.

SHOT! Caligiuri links up well with Rodriguez down the left and raids forward to the edge of the box unchallenged. The winger then decides to take on a shot, even with options around him, but his effort sails well wide of the net. It's fair to say his teammates weren't too happy with him there.

There will be two minutes of added time.

GOAL! Everton 2-0 Wolfsburgh (Coleman)

Everton double their lead right before the break as Coleman nods the ball in from close range, although Benaglio will not be happy with his role in the goal. Mirallas found space to power a shot at the keeper down the left and he could only parry it into the path of Baines, who crossed for Coleman and he applied the finish.

HALF-TIME: Everton 2-0 Wolfsburg

Everton haven't played that well this evening but find themselves going into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead. Roberto Martinez's men have carved out two clear-cut chances and scored them both through Steven Naismith and Seamus Coleman in two incisive attacking moves down the left-hand side. Defensively the Toffees have been solid enough after a nervy first 10 minutes of the game, but they looked a lot more composed as the half progressed.

Wolfsburg didn't take advantage of a nervy Everton side in the first 10 minutes of the half and have paid the price. They've been cut open twice with two quality moves from the home side, although Rodriguez and Benaglio will be disappointed with their efforts in the first and second goal respectively. De Bruyne has looked bright when he has had the ball, but the visitors needs to get him the ball in more dangerous areas of the pitch in the second half.

SUBSTITUTION: Aaron Hunt replaces Malanda for the visitors at the break.

RESTART: We're back underway at Goodison Park.

PENALTY TO EVERTON!

GOAL! Everton 3-0 Wolfsburg (Baines pen)

A perfect start to the half for Everton as Baines fires them further ahead from the penalty spot as he sends Benaglio the wrong way. The spot was awarded after Knoche made an error and McGeady pounced on the loose ball just outside the box. The Irishman was then brought down by the defender as he attempted to atone for his mistake and the referee pointed to the spot, although replays have suggested that contact was made outside the area.

Response from the visitors as De Bruyne and Caligiuri combine to release the run of Rodriguez down the left. The full-back tries to power the ball across the face of goal, but Howard is on hand to block the cross and punch the ball to safety.

CHANCE! Olic stings the hands of Howard, who is forced into making a good save as the striker was able to turn and power a shot at goal from the edge of the area. The American keeper made the crucial save as he tipped the ball over the bar.

CLOSE! Wolfsburg work the ball well from the resulting corner before the ball finally comes back to Arnold, who smashes a stinging drive at goal which goes just wide of the post. A good response from the German side.

CHANCE! A glorious chance for Gustavo as a loose ball falls to him inside the box. The midfielder manages to shirk the challenge of Baines, but his effort at goal is tame and straight at Howard. What a chance for the Brazilian to get his side back into the game.

YELLOW CARD: Naismith goes into the book for a challenge on Gustavo just outside the penalty area and creates another chance to threaten for Wolfsburg.

SAVE! Howard produces an excellent stop to keep Wolfsburg at bay as Rodriguez powers a free kick over the wall, but the American is on hand to divert his effort away from the net with an outstanding one-handed save.

Everton are doing their best to take the pace out of the game after that burst from Wolfsburg. They have conceded quite a few goals this season and have Howard to thank for stopping the German side getting on the scoresheet this evening.

SUBSTITUTION: Former Arsenal man Bendtner checks into the game as he replaces Caligiuri.

The threat from Wolfsburg is still very much there and Arnold has a couple more cracks from distance well blocked by Jagielka and then Stones to quell the danger. Hecking's side have looked the better team since the restart despite trailing by three goals.

CHANCE! Howard saves Everton again as loose ball falls to Hunt in the area, but he can't manage to find space for a shot. He instead knocks the ball back to Arnold who powers a shot at goal, but the keeper parries the shot to safety.

Naismith brings Arnold down 30 yards from goal and will present the visitors with another shooting chance.

CLOSE! Naldo strikes the ball and he attempts to curl the ball into the bottom corner. However, his effort goes just wide of the post and Howard seemed confident enough not to dive for the ball.

SUBSTITUTION: Eto'o replaces Lukaku for the home side.

YELLOW CARD: Mirallas becomes the second Everton player to enter the book tonight.

CHANCE! Everton hit the visitors on the counter as Eto'o does brilliantly to shirk off two challenges and release Naismith down the left. The Scot then tees up McGeady inside the area, but the Irishman curls his effort just over the bar.

CHANCE! Howard comes to Everton's rescue again as he produces an excellent fingertip save to get down low to his left to turn a shot from De Bruyne past the post. The forward's effort was sneaking into the bottom corner before the keeper made the stop.

SUBSTITUTION: Wolfsburg make their final chance as Gustavo is replaced by Guilavogui.

CHANCE! Rodriguez slips a pinpoint through ball for Olic down the left and the striker beats the challenge of Stones and tries to round Howard, but can only hammer his shot into the sidenetting.

CHANCE! Olic threatens again down the left and he does enough to dig out a cross to the back post for Bendtner. The striker manages to get into position to head the ball, but his effort is tame and straight at Howard.

SUBSTITUTION: Gibson replaces Naismith for the home side with nine minutes to play.

SHOT! Wolfsburg work the ball well in the final third as Hunt lays a pass off to De Bruyne, who shoots first time and his effort is deflected just wide of the post by McCarthy.

Everton try to seal the win with efforts first from Gibson as he raids forward and powers a low shot at goal, which is well saved by Benaglio. Then Eto'o tees up McCarthy on the edge of the area but his attempt goes well over the bar.

GOAL! Everton 4-0 Wolfsburg (Mirallas)

Everton wrap up their win in style as Eto'o releases the run of Mirallas down the middle and the forward makes no mistake slotting his low shot past Benaglio. A cool finish from the Belgian.

There will be four minutes of added time.

CHANCE! De Bruyne picks out Hunt at the back post as Everton are short of numbers at the back, but as the forward is about to pull the trigger McCarthy comes in with an inch-perfect tackle to win the ball.

Maybe one last chance to threaten for Wolfsburg as Gibson fouls Guilavogui 30 yards from goal and Rodriguez stands over the set piece.

GOAL! Everton 4-1 Wolfsburg (Rodriguez)

Wolfsburg finally get on the scoresheet as Rodriguez hits the free kick right out of the screws and his effort sails into the top corner, with Howard beaten comprehensively. The visitors deserve that goal.

FULL-TIME: Everton 4-1 Wolfsburg

Everton secure a comfortable win on paper this evening, but it was far from that in the second half as they were forced to rely on Tim Howard to keep Wolfsburg at bay. The Toffees showed a clinical edge that the German side failed to show in front of goal as Naismith, Coleman, Baines and Mirallas all displayed composure when presented with the chance to score and that was the difference between the sides this evening.

Martinez will be pleased to see his side begin with a victory and will feel that there is plenty to build on for the rest of their Group H campaign, while Hecking will also believe that his side create enough chances to make the evening a bit tougher on the Toffees than it actually was.

Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Be sure to stick with Sports Mole for our coverage of all the major leagues this weekend. But from me, it's goodbye.

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