Everton 2-0 Hadjuk Split: Goals from Michael Keane and Idrissa Gueye give Ronald Koeman's side advantage By Oliver Yew
Last Updated: 17/08/17 11:45pm
Everton took a significant step towards the Europa League group stages after a 2-0 victory over Hajduk Split in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie at Goodsion Park. During a first-half that was briefly stopped because of ugly scenes in the away end, Everton took full control thanks to goals from Michael Keane and Idrissa Gueye. The visitors put in an improved performance in the second half and Everton. who face Manchester City, live on Sky Sports Premier League on Monday Night Football, needed Jordan Pickford to deny Hamza Barry, Ante Erceg and Hysen Memolla as Ronald Koeman's side held on to keep a clean sheet to take a two-goal advantage to the Stadion Poljud for next Thursday's second leg.
Everton, who presented club-record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson to the Goodison Park crowd before kick-off, started brightly and it was the lively Ademola Lookman, who created the first real opening, firing a low cross across the face of goal for Davy Klaasen, but the Dutchman failed to get a touch as the ball rolled away to safety.
The hosts' dominance was eventually rewarded when Baines drove to the byline before standing a cross up to the far post, where Keane rose high above the defender to head home for his first Everton goal.
The game was then stopped briefly as trouble flared up in the away end with the referee taking the players off the field, and after a five-minute delay play was back underway.
Everton doubled their lead just before the break when Wayne Rooney's inch-perfect through ball picked out the run of Gueye, who picked out the bottom corner.
And it could have got even better for Koeman's men just before the break but Rooney, played in by Klaasen, failed to beat Dante Stipica.
Everton, who replaced the cautioned Morgan Schneiderlin with Tom Davies at the break, needed Jordan Pickford to keep their clean sheet intact in the 61st minute and the England U21 stopper got down smartly to his right to palm Barry's shot to safety.
Pickford was called into the action again late on, denying Erceg after sloppy play from Rooney and Memolla's long-range strike as Everton held on to secure a crucial first leg advantage.
http://www.skysports.com/football/everton-vs-hajduk-split/383902
