Everton 1-1 Fulham
(Penalties 6-7)
by James Nalton
at Goodison Park
 

A WINNING penalty from Tosin Adarabioyo sent Fulham through to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup at Everton’s expense and has the West London side dreaming of a trip to Wembley for the final.

It took eight rounds of spot-kicks to decide a winner on Tuesday night. 

Everton’s Amadou Onana had the chance to win the game at the fifth turn but skipped up to send in a weak effort that was easily saved by Bernd Leno.

This was Everton in the EFL’s tournament, not the Premier League’s. Free from the shackles of a ten-point deduction, and with a trophy to play for.

They were still the Everton of recent weeks. An Everton that fights for every moment and had won four on the bounce and seven of their last nine in all competitions as a result.

The latest test came when they went a goal behind after Antonee Robinson’s cross deflected in off Michael Keane.

Everton generally had the better of what was a scrappy game.

Jarrad Branthwaite, who has impressed at centre-back this season, was equally adept in a new role as a left-back.

He and the rest of the Everton defence, which in Sean Dyche’s team means all of the players, limited Fulham to very little other than that deflection following Robinson’s good work.

A deserved equaliser came with 15 minutes to go when substitute Beto headed home from close range after James Garner hooked the ball back into a crowded penalty area.

“I thought performance was another strong one,” said Everton boss Dyche. “We didn’t find a true moment of quality at the end of good movies, but the general performance was good again.

“Jarrad was excellent at left-back and Jimmy Garner, going high up the pitch, with a tremendous work ethic again.

“It doesn’t pay us back tonight, but it will do at the end of the season if we keep playing like that.”

For Fulham, the win means a first EFL Cup semifinal for the club. Silva is dreaming of further progress.

“We achieved something the club never did in the past,” said the Fulham manager.

“We are delighted with the moment we are living right now, but we want more.

“We are going to play in the semifinals with the dream of going to play at Wembley.”