U21 Report: Everton 1-2 Saints
Two Princewill Ehibhatiomhan goals helped Southampton Under-21s come from behind to beat Everton at Goodison Park on Friday night.
Saints fell behind midway through the first half following a harsh penalty decision, as Broghan Sewell was adjudged to have brought down Melvin Matos after a flying save from Dylan Moody.
Saints stopper Moody could do nothing about the resulting spot-kick, as Harvey Foster hammered the ball into the top corner.
Moody was called into action once more to deny Joel Catesby as the Toffees ended the first half on top, but the dismissal of Joshua van Schoor five minutes into the second period sparked a shift in momentum.
Booked in the first period for a late lunge on Hansel Adjei-Afriyie, van Schoor pulled back Max Little and was given his marching orders.
With Saints now in the ascendancy, Ehibhatiomhan levelled the scores with 20 minutes to go in emphatic fashion.
After Sufianu Sillah Dibaga exchanged passes with Korban McMullan, Ehibhatiomhan shifted the ball from his right foot to his left and rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 15 yards.
Sensing an opportunity to turn one point into three, Saints kept coming forward and completed the turnaround nine minutes later.
Receiving the ball wide on the left, Sillah Dibaga found a teasing low cross for Ehibhatiomhan, who got in front of his man and steered in the winner from six yards.
Everton U21: Lukjanciks, Davis (Gardner 71), Tamen (c) (Finney 9), Campbell, van Schoor, Lambert (Thomas 54), Patterson, Foster, Matos, Catesby (Clarke 71), Loney (Benjamin 71).
Unused substitutes: Barnsley, Gomez.
Goal: Foster (24’ pen).
Booked: van Schoor, Patterson, Matos.
Sent off: van Schoor (50’).
Southampton U21: Moody, Adjei-Afriyie, Anderson, Day, Sewell, Little, Kakay (c) (Daley 69), McMullan, Gathercole, Sillah Dibaga, Ehibatiomhan.
Unused substitutes: Grieves, Vallance, Whittaker, Gbajumo, Charles, Bailey.
Goals: Ehibatiomhan (70’, 79’).
Booked: Sillah Dibaga.
Referee: Matthew Scholes.
