Jarrad Branthwaite emerged as Everton’s savior, scoring a dramatic equalizer deep into injury time against Tottenham after Richarlison’s impressive double had put the hosts in a challenging position.
The match seemed destined for a disappointing outcome for Everton until Branthwaite’s late heroics, securing a crucial Premier League point. The 94th-minute goal saw the defender convert at the back post, turning despair into joy for the Toffees.
Richarlison, facing his former side, showcased his brilliant form with a delightful double that initially put Everton on the back foot.
Destiny Udogie set the tone, providing a ball that Richarlison expertly guided home with a volley from eight yards out just four minutes into the game. Despite this early setback, Everton fought back, and Richarlison struck again with a sumptuous curled effort from the edge of the box.
The Toffees demonstrated improvement between the two goals, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin having a notable chance that saw his header from close range flick off Jack Harrison for the equalizer. As Sean Dyche’s side sought another equalizer, substitute Youssef Chermiti came close late in the game.
However, it was Branthwaite who ultimately brought much-needed relief to Everton, bundling in the crucial goal. The late drama unfolded only after a video assistant referee check confirmed there was no offside, allowing Everton to salvage a valuable point.
This hard-fought draw temporarily lifted Everton out of the relegation zone on goal difference, setting the stage for an anxious wait as they await the outcome of the Luton vs. Newcastle match later in the day.
Yves Bissouma and Mali are eliminated from the African Cup of Nations on Saturday night, beating Ivory Coast 2-1 in the quarter-finals in Bouaké.
Bissouma took an early lead but Ivory coast scored in the last minute of regulation time to send the game into extra time before Ivory Coast won in the 120th minute to qualify for the semi-finals.
Mali qualified for the quarter-finals with a win over Burkina Faso in the round of 16, and were in an ideal position for the semi-finals after the sending off of Odilon Kossounou of Côte d’Ivoire.
Although Mali missed a penalty kick in the 17th minute, they finally took advantage of the numerical advantage when Nene Dorgeles scored to level the game. However, it was not enough for Les Aigles, as a few seconds before the end of the match Simon Adingra scored the equaliser to send the match into an extra 30 minutes of play.
The Ivorians capitalised on their momentum in front of their home crowd as Oumar Diakite hit the net from six metres in the final minute of extra time to break Mali’s heart.
Yves started the match among Mali’s substitutes and then came on at the start of extra time. It was his 38th appearance for his country.
The Good news now for Tottenham is they will be having him back in tje squad for the club’s next League encounter alongside Pape Sarr.