Hajduk 1 Everton 1 (1-3 agg): Gylfi Sigurdsson scores 50-yard wonder goal to seal Toffees’ place in Europe League group stage
New signing was making his full debut and unleashed an outrageous shot to put the game in Croatia beyond doubt
GYLFI SIGURDSSON paid off a huge chunk of his £45million transfer fee with a goal-in-a-million to secure Europa League qualification for Everton.
The most expensive player in Goodison history struck with an incredible 50-yard effort in his first start for his new club.
Gylfi Sigurdsson scored as Everton beat Hajduk Split
The Icelandic international’s jaw-dropping effort came just 12 seconds into the second-half to settle scouse nerves on a testing night in Croatia.
Ronald Koeman’s team were just beginning to fear the worst after conceding a 35-yard Exocet two minutes before the interval.
But even Josip Radosevic’s brilliant long-range effort was put in the shade by Sigurdsson’s hit-and-hope attempt which sailed over the head of keeper Dante Stipica to plunge the Poljud Stadium into stunned silence.
Even the notoriously hard to please Ronald Koeman could not hide his delight at his record signing’s intervention.
The Everton boss doggedly refused to abandon his pursuit of Sigurdsson despite weeks of Swansea’s apparent determination to hang on to their star man.
That persistence was rewarded in spadefuls last night with a result which guarantees Everton’s place in today’s draw for the group stages of the Europa League.
And Sigurdsson wasn’t the only one of Koeman’s big-money investments to step up to the challenge in this stern examination of character.
Jordan Pickford, Britain’s most expensive keeper following his £30million move from Sunderland, came up with a crucial second-half penalty save from Ahmed Said after a clumsy challenge by Ashley Williams.
And £25million centre-half Michael Keane continued to provide the calming influence at the back which has earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
But it a good job that Wayne Rooney has brought the curtain down on his England career because he’s going to need every ounce of his energy to turn Everton into genuine trophy contenders.
Rooney’s first match as a former international player was largely spent forlornly chasing the ball all alone up front.
The man who broke just about every scoring record for Manchester United is still seeking his first European goal for Everton.
He could have broken his duck midway through the first-half but was unable to hit the target with a glancing header from Cuco Martin’s cross.
But with a two-goal advantage to defend from last week’s first-leg at Goodison, it was a miss which Everton could afford to shrug off.
For the first 43 minutes the visitors defied the deafening noise of the Hajduk supporters to maintain their lead in relative comfort.
Pickford was forced into one full length save by winger Ante Besic but other than that there was precious little for Koeman to worry about.
But two minutes before the interval the visitors were shoved onto the back foot by the long-range missile from Radosevic which whistled past Pickford before he barely had a chance to move.
The hardy group of 1,400 visiting Evertonians suddenly sensed their travel plans going up in smoke with the Europa League final still another 15 games away.
But their anxiety barely lasted the length of the half-time break before Sigurdsson put the tie beyond Hajduk’s reach.
This was his first European start since Spurs took on Benfica in the Europa League back in April 2014.
And even he could not have envisaged making such an instant impact on his return to the big-time.
Rooney had the chance to finish the night in style when he was sent clear of the Hajduk defence by Keane’s 84th minute ball over the top.
But the former England captain’s shot was beaten away by Stipica to leave him still waiting for his 40th goal in European competition.
But that particular milestone can wait for another day and there will plenty more opportunities for Rooney now that Everton are safely through the qualifying rounds.
Koeman’s team are now unbeaten in six games this season and hardly have time to catch their breath before travelling to Champions Chelsea on Sunday lunchtime.
It is not going to get any easier for Everton. But they would not want it any other way.
FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS
- Everton have now lost just once in their last seven European away matches – including qualifiers
- The match marked Gylfi Sigurdsson’s first European appearance since March 2014, when he turned out for Spurs against Benfica
- Ronald Koeman had not conceded a goal in Europe in 313 minutes before Josip Radosevic’s scorcher went in
- Aaron Lennon came off the bench to make his first Everton appearance since February
- Sigurdsson’s stunning equaliser came just 16 seconds into the second half
- It’s been ten years since Ronald Koeman won a trophy as a manager… could this be their year?
Latest Everton News
SOCIAL SAYS
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
Hajduk Split: Stipica 6, Juranovic 7, Nizic 6, Lopez 6, Memolla 6, Gentsoglou 6, Radosevic 7, Barry 7 (Kovacevic 5), Vlasic 6 (Kozulj 6), Said 6 (Tudor 6), Erceg 6
Subs not used: Carbonieri, Pesic, Letica, Basic
Goal: Radosevic 43’
Booked: Radosevic, Erceg
Everton: Pickford 7, Martina 7, Keane 6, Williams 6, Baines 6, Besic 6, Schneiderlin 7, Lookman 5 (Lennon), Sigurdsson 7, Calvert-Lewin 6 (Davies 6), Rooney 6
Subs not used: Jagielka, Mirallas, Stekelenburg, Holgate, Kenny
Goal: Sigurdsson 46’
Booked: Besic
Star Man: Radosevic