EVERTON 2-0 SOUTHAMPTON: Iliman Ndiaye scored both goals as Everton said goodbye to men’s football at Goodison Park with an emotional win over rock-bottom Saints
Iliman Ndiaye provided the goalscoring goodbye to Goodison Park and gave Everton fans optimism for their riverside future.
Ndiaye has had a frustrating season but the 25-year-old posted a reminder of his talent by scoring the last goal of the men’s team’s 133-year tenure at Goodison Park. And that was after he had already started the last-day party with a neat early opener.
It means Ndiaye’s name will go down in the club’s history books after the men said farewell to the Grand Old Lady with a comfortable win. But let’s face it, if you had to put together an identikit perfect guest at a leaving party, it would be Southampton. They probably brought a bottle.
Even so, David Moyes ’ side did mark the Goodison goodbye with some pleasant stuff, a lot of it coming from the outstanding Ndiaye.
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Senegal’s attacking midfielder really is the sort of talent Everton need to hold onto as they begin life at the, er, Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Combative, quick, and with clever feet, Ndiaye will exploit more resilient defences than the one the Saints brought to Merseyside.
His opener after only six minutes featured an expertly curled low finish but his second, just before the break, owed a lot to the Southampton rearguard – including goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale – not looking particularly bothered.
Ndiaye simply strolled onto a hopeful James Garner ball and walked it past Ramsdale. Apparently, Ndiaye’s daughter had inspired him by suggesting he might be the last player (mens) to score a goal at Goodison Park (she obviously didn’t know Everton FC Women were moving in).
And so it proved as a half-paced second half jogged its way towards the post-match festivities.
In fact, the loudest cheers of the second half were for Jordan Pickford, who seemed doubly determined to make sure Everton signed off with a clean sheet.
That is not too difficult against this rock-bottom Southampton side – who also had the worry of seeing Taylor Harwood-Bellis have to be helped off after suffering an injury – but even so, Pickford managed to make a nice show out of a couple of routine stops.
And after that, it was simply a question of counting down the clock until the after-match farewell party could start.
That was a time to look fondly over the past but at least Ndiaye also gave the tearful faithful something to look forward to. It was a special day.
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