De Cordova-Reid earns Fulham fortunate win at Everton

Updated: Aug 12, 2023, 06:51 pm

Bobby De Cordova-Reid led a smash-and-grab for Fulham when he scored a second half goal in their 1-0 Premier League victory over a wasteful Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

De Cordova-Reid netted on 73 minutes with a tap-in at the back post after excellent work from Andreas Pereira, one of two shots on target for the visitors.

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Everton, who avoided relegation on the final day of last season, had enough chances to win but were poor in front of goal, struck the crossbar and had an effort disallowed in controversial circumstances when they did get the ball in the back of the net.

Michael Keane thought he had put the hosts aheadbut was denied by referee Stuart Attwell for a perceived foul by James Tarkowski on goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

"I'm very disappointed in the fact that we didn't win the game, or certainly get a point, from a very dominant chance count, and high-quality chances at that," Everton manager Sean Dyche told the BBC.

"We did not finish them off and we know from last season we have to improve at that, but we were getting the team in the right manner and the right areas.

"I was pleased with that because that is the highest chance count and quality of chance count that I can remember for a long time here."

Fulham players celebrate their winning goal against Everton.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Dyche has made it clear he would like to add an experienced striker to the squad in this transfer window and on the basis of this showing it is easy to see why.

Neal Maupay flashed a shot wide in the first 35 seconds before Abdoulaye Doucouré found himself one-on-one with Leno, but had his effort saved.

Maupay was then denied twice by Leno as Everton found the key to unlock the Fulham back door but could not finish.

The visitors were a whisker away from the opener when Raúl Jiménez, on debut for the London club, hooked a shot that beat home goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but not the post.

Everton's frustration grew as Nathan Patterson crashed a shot against the crossbar with the goal gaping after Leno had saved from Alex Iwobi.

The home side were on top when they conceded the goal, to the loud groans of the weary Goodison Park faithful.

They allowed a swift break from Fulham that saw Decordova-Reid in acres of space with no defender in sight and he had an easy finish.

Everton kept pressing after that and Leno again denied Iwobi, while Tarkowski headed wide.