Huddersfield Town 1, Everton 2 (Carabao Cup 2nd Round)
Battling Huddersfield Town exited the Carabao Cup after they were beaten by a late Andros Townsend goal by 10-man Everton.
Embed from Getty ImagesThere were two disallowed goals and a red card in this action packed cup tie at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Goals by Alex Iwobi and Tom Lees lit the blue touch paper on this contest, while disallowed goals by Moise Kean and Matty Pearson cranked up the drama.
The fireworks well and truly went off after an hour when Kean was sent off for an altercation with Sorba Thomas in an unsavoury off-the-ball incident.
Both sides went for broke and in the end it was the Premier League side who made the changes that would win the game with Townsend firing home a late winner for the ten-men of Everton.
Town manager Carlos Corberan was proud of his team’s efforts on the night, seeing it as a fantastic performance in which Town were unlucky not to secure at least a penalty shootout.
He said: “We were managing every situation perfect but they had an amazing finish.
“We couldn’t find enough clarity to attack after they went down to ten men for the last minutes of the game.”
“The reaction of the team was positive, we created some chances and scored a goal from a set piece.
“We were fantastic in the second half and had the opportunity to score a second goal.”
“We wanted to take it to penalties and tried to be more aggressive but we were unlucky today.”
Everton boss Rafa Benitez praised his team’s reaction to the Terriers’ challenge, addressing the red card that threatened to de-rail their cup campaign.
He said: “The way that we approached the game, we had chances and were in control.
“After our goal it was not so easy, they had more belief.
“Moise Kean’s sending off changed everything.
“I didn’t see the first part of the incident, only when they were pushing each other. He’s a young player and hopefully he can learn from that.
“We had to change many things but the reaction of the team was very good.
“We scored the second goal and things finished well for us, the determination of the players was great.”
He also was full of praise for Town’s application, adding: ”They were working hard. We knew they would try and play well, they were more or less exactly as we expected.
“We gave them some hope, especially playing with ten players, but we managed it in the end in a good way and the reaction of our players was good.
“Hopefully Huddersfield will do well this season.”
Moise Kean red card threatens to de-rail Everton cup run
Daniel Sinani made his Terriers bow as one of six changes from the side that produced an injury time winner at Sheffield United on Saturday.
Levi Colwill, Ollie Turton, Jonathan Hogg, Lewis O’Brien, Josh Koroma, and Danny Ward stepped down while Sinani was joined in the starting line-up by goalscorer Lees, Harry Toffolo, Alex Vallejo, Duane Holmes, and Fraizer Campbell.
Everton arrived having made as only Michael Keane and Alex Iwobi were retained from the side that drew at Leeds United at the weekend.
And the Premier League side got off to a dominant start as they opened the scoring after Iwobi’s 26th minute goal from an assist by Tom Davies.
Moise Kean could have doubled that lead four minutes later but the Italian striker was deemed offside through a tight decision after he was put through by a ball from Niels Nkounkou.
Town battled back with chances by Campbell and Sinani and deservedly levelled just before half time when Tom Lees had plenty of space to get on the end of a Sorba Thomas ball into the box from a corner to head the Terriers back on par.
Sinani and Holmes had chances to put the Terriers in the lead as the second half got under way, with Asmir Begovic saving a shot from Holmes to concede a corner.
Matty Pearson thought he had put Town into the lead from the resulting corner with a header which was disallowed for an alleged offside.
After escaping a second Town goal the Toffees soon found themselves down to ten men when tempers flared after Kean shoved Thomas in the face in an off-the-ball incident just before the hour.
Andre Gomes had already been brought on for Everton at this point and he was soon joined by Lucas Digne as Jarrad Branthwaite and Davies made way with Everton looking to regroup.
Town, sensing an upset, brought on O’Brien and Turton for Sinani and Lees with 21 minutes to go.
Winger Demarai Gray was Everton’s final change, replacing defender Nkounkou with 15 minutes to go as they went for broke.
And Townsend broke Town hearts with 11 minutes to go when Gomes found him with a low cross and he restored the lead for the visitors with a fine finish.
Town responded by sending on Josh Koroma for Scott High for the last 10 minutes but there was to be no repeat of the heroics against Sheffield United as the Toffees were able to hold on for the win.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 1, Everton 2 (Carabao Cup 2nd Round)
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Pearson, Lees (Turton 69), Sarr, Thomas, High (Koroma 80), Vallejo, Holmes, Toffolo, Campbell, Sinani (O’Brien 69)
Huddersfield Town subs not used: Schofield, Aarons, Colwill, Russell
Booked: Thomas 60 (ungentlemanly conduct); Sarr (foul on Andros Townsend)
Goal: Lees 45
Everton: Begovic, Holgate, Keane, Branthwaite (Andre Gomes 57), Kenny, Gbamin, Davies (Digne 64), Nkounkou (Gray 75), Townsend, Kean, Iwobi
Everton Subs not used: Londergan, Mina, Doucoure, Coleman
Booking: Gomes 90+5 (time wasting)
Red Card: Kean (violent conduct, shove in the face of Sorba Thomas, 59)
Goals: Iwobi 26; Townsend 79
Referee: Matt Donohue
Attendance: 10,459