Momiki Hat-Trick Sees Blues Thrash Durham

Yuka Momiki’s second-half hat-trick helped Everton make it four wins from four in the Subway Players Cup with an impressive 6-0 win against Durham.

The 30-year-old came on at half-time and netted a fine trio of goals, with a brace from Noemie Mouchon and a first goal for Everton for Jutta Rantala completing the scoring for the dominant Toffees.

The Blues set the tone for the evening as Mouchon rifled an effort in to the palms of Cat Sheppard within the opening minute.

Rantala then followed that up with a venomous strike of her own two minutes later as the keeper was called in to action once more.

The Finland international, who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday, came even closer on 9 minutes as her rising shot rattled the crossbar.

It was Rantala who then opened the scoring on 20 minutes as her persistence paid off. Hannah Cain pulled an enticing ball across the face of goal. Fellow forward Rantala brought it down before unleashing an unstoppable effort in to the top right corner to net her first goal in royal blue.

The hosts continued to control the tempo throughout the opening 45 – probing their opponents and boasting the clear majority of possession and chances.

At the break, Phelan made a double change as Rosa van Gool, Maz Pacheco and Momiki replaced Wheeler, Kitagawa and Vignola.

Those substitutes immediately paid off as Momiki fired home at the Gwladys Street End five minutes after the interval. Upon reaching the penalty spot, Everton’s number 29 elegantly placed the ball in to the bottom right corner.

That corner was found by the ball again on 64 minutes as Mouchon finished past the diving keeper. The French forward brought the ball down excellently – it almost sticking to her right foot. She then pulled the trigger early, slotting past the outrushed Sheppard.

One minute later, Plano came on for her Everton debut to mark another memorable evening for the Club’s Academy.

Momiki then doubled her tally in the 70th minute with the best of her three strikes. From the edge of the box, she curled in to the far corner. The Gwladys rose, with Momiki’s appreciation for the iconic stand reciprocated by the Evertonians’ cheers.

With five minutes remaining, Mouchon secured a brace of her own. The forward saw an initial strike saved, but prodded home the rebound to cap off a rapid break.

The loudest cheer of the night occurred only a single minute later as Momiki secured the match ball to conclude a brilliant evening to be a Blue.