Bournemouth’s fast and direct football proved too much for Everton in the fourth round of the FA Cup as they strolled to a 2-0 lead in the first 45 minutes thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Daniel Jebbison following two James Tarkowski mistakes. Despite a fervent second half push to continue Goodison Park’s FA Cup story, Everton couldn’t overturn the first half deficit.
Both sides approached the tie respecting the importance of the cup, with minimal changes from their last Premier League lineups. But that lack of rotation meant Bournemouth’s quality gave them enough to progress to the next round.
As It Happened
Everton almost got off to the perfect start, as Iliman Ndiaye picked Illya Zabarnyi’s pocket on the byline. He dribbled inside, cutting past Tyler Adams to put himself one-on-one with Kepa Arrizabalaga, but the Spaniard pulled off an impressive save, stopping the ball under his leg to deny the in-form striker from giving Everton the lead.
Semenyo would go on to punish Ndiaye’s miss, as he brought his fine Premier League form into the FA Cup. The Ghanaian winger both won and scored a penalty to give The Cherries the lead. Tarkowski dove into a challenge, got nowhere near the ball, and the penalty was rightly awarded. Semenyo struck with power into the bottom left corner. Jordan Pickford went the right way but had no chance.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe visitors were in complete control of the game after that goal and deserved the two-goal lead Jebbison later provided.
Tarkowski was at fault again for the goal. His massively under-hit diagonal pass was intercepted by Marcus Tavernier, who tried an optimistic shot through the Everton traffic. After a bit of pinball, the ball fell to Jebbison, his first effort saved by Pickford before rebounding straight back to the striker’s knee and trickling over the line. It was scrappy, but they all count, and Bournemouth were two to the good.
Everton were far stronger in the second half, but couldn’t get the final ball right to capitalise on their dominance. Bournemouth made changes in response to Everton’s superiority, bringing on Justin Kluivert, and momentum briefly swung back into the visitors’ favour; the substitute forced saves out of Pickford twice in his first five minutes on the pitch.
The Toffees regained some control, and debutant Carlos Alcaraz almost got them back into the game after hitting the post from a free-kick with just under 20 minutes to go.
Embed from Getty ImagesThey still wouldn’t let up, trying their hardest to avoid making this the last FA Cup game at Goodison Park. Semenyo had to clear the ball off the line after Ndiaye headed goalwards from a corner, and the ball was recycled from that clearance before Jake O’Brien got on the end of a Jack Harrison cross, passing up a golden chance to reduce the deficit. The Toffees were unlucky to not have a goal back, but the noise had picked up at Goodison Park.
Bournemouth had a now a rare attack in the final ten minutes, and came close to killing off the game. A lovely through ball from Lewis Cook found David Brooks, who cut it back to Semenyo, but his first-time shot was denied by a miraculous Pickford save.
In the end, the hosts couldn’t turn around The Cherries‘ first half lead and, after being home to Everton for their five FA Cup triumphs, Goodison Park bids adieu to the oldest cup competition in the world.
As for Bournemouth, their impressive season will continue in the FA Cup, and they will discover their fifth round opponents on February 10th.
The lineups
EVE: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young; Gueye, Garner; Lindstrøm, Doucouré, Ndiaye; Beto
BOU: Kepa; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Adams; Tavernier, Winterburn, Semenyo; Jebbison