Everton v Sigma Olomouc Report

By • Aug 22nd, 2009 • Category: Match Reports, News |

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feared the worst on Thursday night, dark memories of Metalist and Bucharest were playing in my head, and the prospect of another year with European football being thrown away in August seemed very likely, and I was once quite an optimistic Evertonian. Our performance in our 6-1 humiliation against Arsenal, coupled with stories of Sigma being an amazing side after their thrashing of the mighty mighty Aberdeen, drained me of any hope.

However Moyes and the other players came together following the shambles and have restored some of that optimism. The first twenty or so minutes were nervy, Sigma created a few chances, and had a decent penalty shout, and the crowd full of frustration and nerves got on the back of the players after each small mistake, but on the 33rd minute Fellaini turned his defender and put a cross in which Saha managed to poke in, and a huge sigh of relief was felt around Goodison. But we still needed that bit more help, and the Sigma keeper obliged and kindly dived out of the way of Rodwell’s first goal of the evening.

Having gone into half time with a two goal advantage, and having seen a lesson in shooting from the Sigma substitutes at half time, I felt quietly confident and even began to think ahead to the next stage of the Europa league, and it wasn’t long after half time that Rodwell confirmed my optimism was not misplaced. Baines fired in a free kick which was punched out as far a Pienaar, who passed it out to Rodwell who blasted it in to the top of the net from 25 yards.

Ossie went close after some comical defending, but the keeper just managed to tip it round the post. But the 4th didn’t take long to come. Saha had already made a clever run off the ball to send his marker the wrong way, and as Ossie played it in to him on the edge of the box, he turned another defender and fired it into the bottom corner.

Bar our worst ever European defeat, we’ll have European football until winter again, and with the banana skin of our European qualifier all but out the way, hopefully our season can kick on, and we can well and truly put our horrific start to bed when we arrive in Burnley on Sunday.



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