Everton 1-1 Southampton (3-4 pens): Saints reach Carabao Cup Fourth-Round with win on penalties
By Marc Walker
Southampton set up a Carabao Cup Fourth-Round tie with Leicester City after beating Everton 4-3 on penalties at Goodison Park.
Danny Ings had put Southampton ahead in the match with his fourth goal of the season, but Theo Walcott levelled the scores five minutes from time.
However, Walcott’s spot-kick would be saved by Angus Gunn in the penalty shoot-out, leaving Cedric to score and send his side through.
A bright start from the Saints saw them have the first chance of the game. Danny Ings was played through on goal but couldn’t connect well enough with his shot to beat Maarten Stekelenburg at the near post.
Everton replied in the 21st minute when Brazilian winger Bernard tested Saints keeper Angus Gunn with a decent effort and the England Under-21 international turned away from a corner well.
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Toffees attacker Ademola Lookman would then go closest of anyone in the game so far. He sent a bending left-footed shot narrowly wide of the far corner with Gunn helpless.
Saints would grow back into the game towards the end of the first-half though. Nathan Redmond forced another save from former Saints keeper Stekelenburg when played through by Manolo Gabbiadini, and they would then take the lead two minutes from the break.
Redmond was again involved and it was he who squared the ball to Ings, and the former Liverpool man would claim his fourth goal of the season via the post; much to the obvious delight of Everton home faithful, who roundly booed the man that used to play for their bitter city rivals.
Shortly into the second-half, Saints were thankful to Angus Gunn for keeping them ahead. He smothered Lookman’s effort from close-range when it looked as though the scores might be levelled.
Mark Hughes’ side would then break down the other end and have two very decent chances of their own. Jack Stephens forced a great save by Stekelenburg with a header from a corner before Mario Lemina struck an effort just wide.
The side – skippered by Maya Yoshida for the evening – held on to their lead well until the latter stages when a former academy graduate would come back to haunt them.
Theo Walcott received a pass from Oumar Niasse, took the ball into the area and slid a calm finish under Gunn.
The score stayed at 1-1 until full-time, meaning the match would be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
Each of Leighton Baines, Danny Ings, Cenk Tosun and Steven Davis scored to make it 2-2 in the shoot-out, but Richarlison missed to give the advantage to Saints.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Kurt Zouma also found the net, but Matt Targett had his spot-kick saved.
However, Angus Gunn saved from Theo Walcott, leaving Saints full-back Cedric to put his side through to the last-16 stage.