MATCH REPORT: Everton vs Manchester City [Capital One Cup semi-final]

Everton rally at Goodison Park to earn a 2-1 advantage going into the second leg of their semi-final tie against Manchester City. 

After a good night for the team across the city from Everton last night, many felt that this would give the Merseyside team a little more incentive to really put up a good fight against City. It has been 20 years since they last lifted a major trophy and their performance tonight gave them a good push in the direction of this year's final. 

City have been in this position quite often in recent years and at this stage in the competition, they have really showed their true class. One of these performances was a 9-0 aggregate win against West Ham, but they just couldn't recreate anything close to this tonight. 

The beginning of the first half was very boring from a neutral perspective. City were dominant in possession in the opening 10 minutes and Everton struggled to get any sort of foothold in the game, and this carried on. No clear cut chances were carved out by either team for a long period of the game. 

It wasn't until the 19th minute that Kevin De Bruyne decided to take the first shot of the game. The slight frustration at the lack of forward play was showing in the players and De Bruyne took on the shot from a long range but it way off its target.

Minutes later, City had another chance that finally brought some excitement into the game. De Bruyne swung in the City corner and Nicolas Otamendi beat John Stones to the ball and put some power behind his headed shot but the ball finished just wide of the near post.

It was Everton who looked closest to drawing first blood after that. Leighton Baines dropped a free kick into a good position in the box and Ramiro Funes Mori squared the ball back across the box with his head where Stones fired the ball into the back of the net. However, the offside flag had gone up after Baines' first pass as Gareth Barry and Funes Mori had drifted offside. 

Everton played a long ball up field to Romelu Lukaku minutes later and he headed the ball into the path of Gerard Deulofeu who made a direct run into the City box. Instead of taking on the shot himself, he passed the ball into Lukaku and the forward slotted the ball under Willy Caballero only to see the offside flag raised by the linesman again. 

Despite the growing Everton pressure, Sergio Aguero still looked dangerous at the other end. He hit his first shot on the turn at the near post and forced Joel Robles into his first save, only for the rebound to land at Aguero's feet again. The Argentine hit another powerful shot towards goal, but Funes Mori was in the right position to block the shot. 

Then just before the half time whistle, Everton won a corner which Tom Cleverley swung into the box. It did bounce through the box to the feet of Ross Barkley and he hit the shot well and Caballero could only palm the ball away to Funes Mori who side-footed the ball into the net without any challenge from the City defence to put Everton ahead. 

Funes Mori scoring the first goal of the match for the home side
Image from: http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/jan/06/everton-v-manchester-city-capital-one-cup-semi-final-first-leg-live

Everton started the second half as they had finished the first and were very close to doubling their lead early in the half. Barry played the ball across the ball in a dangerous position and Lukaku flew forward and was centimetres from getting to the ball, but even if he had found the net, the flag was raised once again. 

City fought back though and the first clear cut chance for them came from a corner. Jesus Navas, who had replaced Fabian Delph, whipped the ball into the box after a corner and Fernandinho climbed the highest and got his head to the ball. He headed the ball into the ground though and Joel was perfectly placed to prevent the goal. 

Straight after, Joel played a long ball up the field for Barkley to chase. Otamendi was with him all the way but made the mistake of not clearing the ball when he had the chance, allowing Barkley to run into the box with the ball. From a tight angle, he directed his shot on target, but Caballero did well to put the ball out. 

With only 15 minutes left of the tie, Everton wasted another opportunity from a corner and Fernandinho set up a City counter attack with a long field ball up to Aguero who took the ball down with an incredible first touch. He turned from his defender and spotted Navas on the run to his left and squared the ball to the winger. Navas took the ball into the Everton box, waited for Joel to leave his line and then slotted the ball under the keeper to level the score. 

Navas levelled the scoring for City after some excellent work from Aguero
Image from: http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/jan/06/everton-v-manchester-city-capital-one-cup-semi-final-first-leg-live

It wasn't over yet though. From the kick off, Everton started pushing forward, looking for an opening to get their lead back, and it didn't take them long. After some patient play from the home side, Barry put a great cross into the box that sailed over the head of Martin Demichelis and onto the head of Lukaku. The forward managed to time his run perfectly this time to stay onside and Caballero had no chance of stopping the ball this time as it hit the back of his net.

So, both Liverpool teams take a slender lead into the second tie of this year's Capital One Cup semi-final. Everton did well in the game tonight after they survived the dominant start made by City, and also managed to hold City off in the closing moments as they were down to 10 men due to Seamus Coleman going off injured. 

Lukaku celebrates scoring what proves to be the winning goal for his team
Image from: http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/jan/06/everton-v-manchester-city-capital-one-cup-semi-final-first-leg-live

This does leave the tie nicely poised for the second leg which will take place at the Etihad Stadium in three weeks' time. These two teams do face each other in the Premier League in this time as well, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in that match and if it will be reflected in this competition. Guess we'll have to wait and see.