Ademola Lookman’s brace ensured a youthful Everton side did not miss Sam Allardyce’s presence in Cyprus as they finished their woeful Europa League campaign with a victory.
FULL TIME! Limassol 0-3 Everton. Lookman’s brace and a late Vlasic strike win it – and there’s five debuts for young Blues.
Blog: https://t.co/ubTJo9jVHl#efcawayday pic.twitter.com/kgCtyFuPJ0
— Everton (@Everton) December 7, 2017
A pre-arranged medical appointment meant new boss Allardyce was not in Nicosia to witness the 3-0 win over Apollon Limassol, the Toffees’ first of the group stage, but he will receive a positive assessment of his fringe players and youngsters from stand-in manager Craig Shakespeare.
The most glowing review will be reserved for 20-year-old Lookman, who scored two goals in seven first-half minutes, the second of which was a blistering strike from range to cap off a 26-pass move where each Everton player touched the ball, with Nikola Vlasic then adding a third late on.
What they said
3️⃣ goals
5️⃣ debutants
0️⃣ concededA good evening’s work…
Reaction – https://t.co/F0QaoeRHtN
Report – https://t.co/yQJMcQigyv pic.twitter.com/2BLLggF72d— Everton (@Everton) December 7, 2017
Tweet of the match
26 – Ademola Lookman’s second goal for Everton vs Apollon Limassol tonight ended a sequence of 26 passes. Confidence. pic.twitter.com/PVysXjwV8G
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 7, 2017
Star man – Ademola Lookman
???? | Craig Shakespeare on Ademola Lookman: “He can be an important player but he is only young. He showed his ability tonight.”
More on the blog: https://t.co/ubTJo9jVHl pic.twitter.com/bFAWHVQ7wK
— Everton (@Everton) December 7, 2017
Could have finished the game with four goals but a brace was enough to see off Apollon. The second goal was a terrific strike and evidence there is certainly an end product from the winger.
Stat of the match
???? | Big day for two young Blues here in Cyprus!
Keep up to date with all the matchday news on our live blog.
???????? https://t.co/ubTJo9jVHl pic.twitter.com/eaYlXi2Iux
— Everton (@Everton) December 7, 2017
This was the youngest XI an English club had selected in a European group-stage fixture since 2009, when Everton named an even more youthful line-up having already secured their passage to the last 32.
View from the bench
This was the first European match Shakespeare had taken charge of since Leicester were beaten by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals last season. Who knows if he will ever be at the helm for a continental fixture again but the stand-in boss must have been pleased with what he saw.
Ratings
Who’s up next?
AC Omonia v Apollon Limassol (Cypriot First Division, December 11)
Liverpool v Everton (Premier League, December 10)
