Under-23s Begin Cup Defence With Narrow Fulham Loss

Everton Under-23s began the defence of their Premier League Cup campaign with a narrow 2-1 defeat at Fulham on Sunday.

Kyle John levelled for the young Blues in the second half but the Londoners' late winner inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on David Unsworth's team.

Travelling down to the Cottagers’ Motspur Park training base, Everton had the game’s opening chance as early as the second minute. Anthony Gordon, deployed on the right, won a corner and Ryan Astley powered a header over the bar.

Fulham hit back – Nico Hansen’s palms stung by a rasping drive from Ben Davis – as both sides used the early exchanges to prod and probe for openings.

As the half wore on, and with Fulham’s rearguard proving its worth, Everton tried their luck from long range, but Magnus Norman, the home keeper, saved comfortably from Beni Baningime and then Gordon.

However, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock on 36 minutes as Luca de la Torre fired home from close range.

At the break, boss Unsworth introduced John and Manasse Mampala – in place of Dennis Adeniran and Ellis Simms respectively – and the change inspired a much-improved showing from the young Blues.

Indeed, the latter had barely entered the field of play before he fed Matty Foulds down the left and when he crossed for Gordon, hands were on heads as the 18-year-old steered over the bar.

However, Gordon was unperturbed. On the hour, he won a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Taking it himself, the youngster came within a whisker of drawing Everton level, smacking the crossbar with Norman well beaten.

Another dipping effort from a set-piece had Norman scrambling to tip the ball over, but the Toffees finally drew level on 66 minutes.

Mampala squared the ball from the left and John tucked home from a few yards out.

But Fulham snatched victory against the run of play. On 78 minutes, Jaydon Harris was left unmarked and he finished emphatically past Hansen.

Defeat then for Everton, but there is plenty of time to rebuild with five more group stage fixtures to come.