Late Blues Winner Concludes Inaugural Season At Goodison In Style

Maz Pacheco's 96th-minute winner saw Everton conclude their historic first season at Goodison Park in style with a 1-0 win against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.

With the scores tied at 0-0 deep in injury time, Pacheco turned home Katja Snoeijs' effort to send the Grand Old Lady wild.

The dramatic yet deserved victory sees the Blues finish the WSL season in eighth place.

Head coach Scott Phelan made three changes to the side that were narrowly defeated by Arsenal in midweek as Aurora Galli, Yuka Momiki and Ornella Vignola started in place of Clare Wheeler, Snoeijs and Pacheco.

It was the hosts that started on the front foot, Toni Payne’s lofted cross from the right having to be tipped over the crossbar by Katie Keane inside eight minutes.

The Blues came agonisingly close again only four minutes later as Momiki’s curled free-kick from 25-yards out whistled inches past the post. The forward stepped up after Galli was brought down, with her around-the-wall effort a yard away from creeping in.

The Foxes responded on 33 minutes, as Courtney Brosnan was forced in to a superb save. The ball fell to Asmita Ale after the Blues’ backline failed to clear Sam Tierney’s corner. The 24-year-old turned and scooped an effort that seemed destined to hit the back of the net. However, Brosnan reacted rapidly to turn the ball around the post from behind her, saving a definite goal.

At the other end, Zara Kramzar rattled the post with a powerful effort from the edge of the box. The ball fell perfectly for the Slovenian, who rifled a strike off the upright at the Park End.

That concluded the action for the first-half, with Vignola testing Keane five minutes after the restart. The Spain international showed real quality to drift in from the left and turn Emma Jansson inside-out. The Spain international then pulled the trigger upon reaching the edge of the box, but saw her arrowed strike saved by Keane.

Phelan made a triple change on the hour mark as Wheeler, Snoeijs and Melissa Lawley replaced Galli, Kramzar and Payne.

Wheeler made an instant impact, her deflected strike sailing just wide of Keane’s net only moments after the Aussie graced the turf.

Kelly Gago and Pacheco came on in place of Momiki and Honoka Hayashi with twelve minutes remaining as Phelan’s side went for all three points.

However, the next big chance fell to the Foxes as Brosnan was called in to action once more. The goalkeeper initially misplaced a pass from a goal-kick to a pink shirt, but recovered brilliantly to deny Noemie Mouchon.

With 96 minutes on the clock, Lawley threaded a ball through to the advancing Mace on the right-hand side of the Foxes' box. The defensive midfielder cut it back to Snoeijs, who diverted the ball in to the anticipating Pacheco. The full-back fired home, seeing Goodison Park erupt in celebration.

That concludes the Blues' WSL season, with attention now turning to the WorldSevens tournament later this month.