THAT’LL DOU US NICELY
Doucoure’s winner ends The Millers tale
CARLO ANCELOTTI will no doubt sit down in front of the TV with a nice glass of red wine to watch local side Marine in the knowledge that Everton are already in the next round.
But for much of this game that went into extra- time against a side languishing in the Championship relegation zone, things were looking bitter for the Toffees boss.
After a lightning start through Cenk Tosun’s first Everton goal in 14 months, Paul Warne’s side deservedly struck back through Matt Olosunde.
And they worried the life out of their Premier League hosts and had the chances to cause an upset.
But after Ancelotti sent on the cavalry, which included Abdoulaye Doucoure, it became a sad Millers tale. The former Wat f o rd man took advantage of a rare piece of magic from a subdued James Rodriguez to strike just three minutes into added half-hour.
Everton assi stant manager Duncan Ferguson said: “They pushed us all the way and it was a bit of a relief because you are always fearing the worst.
“It was a tough game and we’re delighted to be through to the next round.” At least for Rotherham it was a far cry from two seasons ago when at this stage of the competition they were hammered 7-0 at Manchester City.
Boss Warne said: “I was really proud of our performance. I think we showed them too much respect in the first five or 10 minutes but then we took the game to them.
“I asked them to go all-guns and not to leave anything on the pitch.
“We could easily have won it in normal time.”
Warne maintained that Ancelotti’s book ‘Quiet Leadership’ is the best sports book he has read and was worried about being star-struck on meeting his managerial idol.
Thankfully his players weren’t and were unlucky not to improve their sad record of not having reached the fourth round since 2002.
When you are in the shop window what better way to advertise your wares with a sharply taken goal after just eight minutes? Tosun, almost the forgotten man in these parts, was on to a lacerating pass from youngster Anthony Gordon like a man who was desperate to make up for lost time.
With Rotherham keeper Jamal Blackman advancing, the Turkey international calmly chipped him to register his first Everton goal since November 2019 against Spurs.
It is no secret that Ancelotti is prepared to sell the £27million striker who was sent on loan to Crystal Palace last season.
But after a flying start to the game in which Gordon had seen a low shot blocked, the home side switched off for the rest of the first half to cause increasing consternation for their manager.
In a purple period for the visitors, Everton keeper Robin Olsen was forced into a fine double save to deny Olosunde and Dan Barlaser and Michael Smith fired wide from close range.
Olsen also just managed to nip in ahead of Olosunde, who had burst into the box, while Matt Crooks glanced a header on to the roof of the net.
Ancelotti’s mood wasn’t improved when Olosunde, who spent some time with Manchester United, took advantage of a ricochet off Tom Davies to steer a low effort past Olsen off the inside of the post. Tosun had an 86th minute volley ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
But the escape for Rotherham was short-lived as Rodriguez sliced open their defence three minutes into extratime to feed Doucoure, who fired low past Blackman.
Bernard hit the post as Everton finally came to life in what turned out to be a real struggle.
But they booked their place in tomorrow’s fourth round draw.
Olsen 7; Coleman 6, Keane 6, Godfrey 6, Digne 6 (Mina 66, 6); Davies 7 (Sigurdsson 66, 6), Gomes 6, Rodriguez 6 (Nkounkou 95, 6); Iwobi 5 (Doucoure 61, 6), Gordon 6 (Bernard 61, 6), Tosun 7. Unused subs: Lossl, Holgate, Branthwaite, Simms.
Blackman 6; Macdonald 7, Wood 7, Ihiekwe 7; Olosunde 8 (Jones 91, 6), Crooks 7 (Vassell 67, 6), Lindsay 6 (Jozefzoon 76,6), Barlaser7, Wiles 7, Harding 7 (Clarke 82, 6); Smith 6 (Hirst 76, 6). Unused subs: Johansson, Miller, Tilt, Vickers.
Matt Olosunde. The American scored his first ever senior career goal and was a bundle of energy down the Rotherham right. REFEREE: Stuart Atwell 7.
GO ON MY SUN Cenk Tosun chips the keeper to score
Rotherham pushed us all the way and it was a relief because you are always fearing the worst. We’re delighted to be through.