London, Aug 31: With four minutes to go, Everton were heading for their first-ever Premier League win in August under Sean Dyche but threw the victory and all the points away. Antoine Semenyo, Lewis Cook and Luis Sinisterra scored from close range to earn Bournemouth a nigh-on incomprehensible win.
On the day that Everton remembered club legend Kevin Campbell, Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin thought they had wrapped up the points only for their fragile defence to be breached three times from close range, twice in injury-time.After a somewhat timid start, unsurprisingly for a side that had lost their two opening league games 3-0 and 4-0, Everton found rhythm and an attacking threat. The three behind Calvert-Lewin – Jack Harrison, Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye – were all causing problems for the Bournemouth defence but could only offer up half chances.It was Ndiaye who first forced debutant Kepa Arrizabalaga into action when an Everton corner bounced around in the box before being volleyed by the Senegal international. The shot was straight at the goalkeeper who instinctively blocked with his feet before grabbing hold.While Everton were energetic and imaginative in the final third, Bournemouth lacked direction. New signing Evanilson struggled to cause James Tarkowski problems as the defender taught the £40m striker about the difficulties of leading the line in the Premier League. Jordan Pickford was a relative bystander, apart from occasionally having to ask the crowd for the ball back after a dismal shot from distance.Despite the swagger of Ndiaye and verve on the flanks, the first Premier League goal Everton have scored under Dyche in August was straight out of the manager’s playbook. Harrison pinged a cross into the box from the right, which Calvert-Lewin laid off for centre-back Keane, still up from a corner, to drive into the corner.
Ndiaye and McNeil have a burgeoning understanding and combined on the edge of the box, the latter finding a perfectly timed run from Calvert-Lewin who slid home the second. (Agencies)
