U21 Report: Saints 2-2 Everton
Southampton Under-21s claimed a point after a 2-2 draw with Everton in Premier League 2 on Friday afternoon.
The visitors went ahead when Ademidie Akarakiri scored in the 10th minute, but Saints drew level through Thierry Rohart-Brown.
Nick Oyekunle’s header saw Saints go 2-1 up early in the second half but Everton’s Reece Welch found a late equaliser against the run of play.
Everton managed to take the lead early on when Joshua van Schoor’s low ball into the Saints area was turned home from close range by Ademidie Akarakiri.
Saints looked to hit back quickly and almost found an equaliser when Sufianu Dibaga curled an effort towards the top corner but was denied by a flying save from Everton’s Douglass Lukjanciks.
With both sides struggling to really create some momentum as the game moves past its first half hour, Everton could have doubled their advantage when a counter from the visitors saw Braiden Graham curl an effort over the crossbar.
However, Saints did manage to get back on level terms shortly after when Nick Oyekunle and Thierry Rohart-Brown combined to give the latter space to stride through into the Everton box and calmly side-foot home.
No further chances came as the contest moved towards half-time and both sides went into the break level at 1-1.
Thierry Rohart-Brown levelled it up for Saints in the first half (Photo: Craig Hobbs).
With the next goal potentially crucial in the game, Saints netted their second of the afternoon in the 55th minute when a loose ball fell nicely for Nick Oyekunle to head home from inside the six-yard box.
Everton looked to hit back and forced Saints goalkeeper Hugo Fisher into his first saves of the game when Braiden Graham and Coby Ebere saw shots comfortably dealt with.
Saints then looked most likely to score the next goal too and a neat attack saw shooting opportunities for each of Sufianu Dibaga, Aston Daley and Brandon Charles but they saw good defensive blocks from Everton in their way.
Nick Oyekunle grabbed his ninth goal of the season (Photo: Craig Hobbs)
A golden chance then fell to Adam Lallana’s side as they went close to making it 3-1 with five minutes remaining – Nick Oyekunle’s best flick putting Sufianu Dibaga in with a clear shot on goal but Everton’s Douglass Lukjanciks made a crucial save.
Against the run of play though, Everton found a late equaliser in the first minute of stoppage-time when Reece Welch flicked him a header from a corner, meaning a share of the spoils at full-time.
Saints are next in action on Friday 6th March when they travel away to face Nottingham Forest in Premier League 2, with kick off at Loughborough University Stadium set for 7pm.
Saints: Fisher, Dobson-Ventura (C), Okunola (Adjei-Afriyie 45'), Sesay, Oyekunle, Dibaga, Rohart-Brown (Kakay 65'), Williams, Gathercole (Charles 72'), O'Brien-Whitmarsh (Daley 72'), Kayi Sanda.
Subs not used: Moore.
Goals: Rohart-Brown (34'), Oyekunle (55')
Everton: Lukjanciks, Samuels-Smith (Davis 86'), van Schoor, Welch (C), Thomas, Bates (Olayiwola 53'), Boakye (Pita 76'), Gomez, Ebere (Loney 76'), Akarakiri, Graham.
Subs not used: Patrick.
Goals: Akarakiri (10'), Welch (90+1')
Yellow cards: Thomas, Welch, Ebere, Olayiwola.
Referee: Harry Wager
