Aston Villa 3 Everton 2: Dreadful Toffees blow two-goal lead AGAIN as late Jhon Duran screamer seals frantic victory
09/14/2024 02:30 PM
WHAT IS IT about the Toffees coming unstuck when they have a two-goal lead?
They did it again, this time in an absolute thriller at Aston Villa that was won by one of the greatest strikes this famous old ground has seen -and it's seen some.
Substitute Jhon Duran must have been 30 yards out when he sent a rocket into the top left-hand corner of the net with 14 minutes left.
But save a prayer for Everton who were two-nil ahead again.
That was the scoreline with just three minutes left of normal time against Bournemouth last time out they and managed to lose.
This time they had stormed ahead through Dwight McNeil on 16 minutes and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on 27 minutes.
Then a brace from Ollie Watkins on drew the sides level before Duran’s left-footed stunning screamer.
That is not the whole story because at 2-1 the visitors had a great chance to extend their lead to two again but Calvert-Lewin fluffed it when through one-on-one.
Even after Duran struck the Everton front man would rattle the cross bar as Sean Dyche's side tried to at least regain a point.
They remain at the foot of the table without any and the prospect of a first relegation in 74 years is looming even at this early stage.
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What a first half it was with Aston Villa seemingly in control in the early stages playing good possession passing football.
But Everton were set up well and were clearly here for the fight.
They were ready to pounce and snatch the ball when they could and take their chances.
That is exactly what they did for the opening goal from McNeil.
He was on former Toffee midfielder Amadou Onana's heels and wrestled him off the ball high up the pitch.
Another referee might have blown but Craig Pawson rightly let it go.
McNeil was off, taking the ball to the edge of the area before delivering a perfect low finish across Emiliano Martinez into the far corner of the net.
Villa Park stunned, as it would be again when 11 minutes later the visitors had a second.
McNeil was provider this time with a sweet dead ball delivery from a free kick wide on the right.
Calvert-Lewin leapt to meet it and with the slightest clip of his forehead sent the ball past Argentina's number one.
There was a VAR check, but he was onside.
Villa were back in it when Onana spread the ball out wide for Lucas Digne whose cross to the far post was met by Watkins.
He was like an American NBA player the way he leapt and hung in the air to meet the cross with his head as his marker Michael Keane was on the way down.
Unai Emery's side should have been level four minutes after the break when Morgan Rogers was through one on one but what a save from Jordan Pickford with an outstretched leg.
Credit the Everton and England number one who hobbled through most of this game after an early injury.
In the 54th minute came the big moment for Everton when McNeil put Calvert-Lewin away with a clear run on the Villa goal from 30 yards out.
Nobody was near him, he had time, maybe too much, but dithered, tried to round the goalkeeper and Evri Konsa got back to nick the ball away.
Everton players held their heads in their hands as they would do again just four minutes later.
How often does it happen when a great chance is missed at one end, a team is so quickly punished?
So it was as Youri Tielemans through ball was helped into the path of Watkins by Jack Harrison and the net bulged again.
Duran would complete the comeback in stunning style and condemn Everton to another evening of misery wondering what could have been.
