DOM’S SUPERSUB IN RON’S REVOLUTION
Calvert-Lewin makes Euro tie safe but it’s tough lesson for Everton boss
RONALD KOEMAN may have escaped from a Europa League booby trap, like a boarding-school master who spotted the bucket of water balanced on top of the dormitory doorway.
But until substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s composed finish 10 minutes from time settled frayed nerves, it was an uncomfortable night for Everton.
Calvert-Lewin’s memorable summer included the winner in the final against Venezuela as England’s Young Lions won the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea.
Now he can add the winner in a European tie, drilled expertly into the bottom corner from Wayne Rooney’s pass, to his rich promise.
But as Everton scrambled into the qualifying play-off stage, the yawning gaps in Koeman’s £100million trolley dash were palpable.
Fancy spending all that money and having no one to put the ball in the net.
Gylfi Sigurdsson is on the way from Swansea to add some guile, but unless Koeman replaces Romelu Lukaku with a proven goalscorer, Everton will be dancing round handbags but never taking away the swag.
The Toffees huffed and puffed but rarely looked like scoring, until a homegrown kid who cost nothing, sprang from the bench to show them how it was done.
In truth, most of the evening in sleepy Slovakia was a colossal bore. But at least Everton are two steps down the line out of the 19 they must negotiate if they want to lift the Europa League trophy in Lyon next May.
Hemmed in on three sides by rolling hills and a Tesco supermarket – a blot on a perfectly bohemian landscape – Everton have never played at a more picturesque venue in Europe.
This was arguably the biggest night in the history of a dot on the map in northern Slovakia.
They even erected a giant screen in the town hall square for locals who didn’t make the cut in the scramble for just
4,500 tickets at the tiny Stadion pod Cebratom.
But the visitors seemed largely oblivious to the prestige of the occasion and brought all the urgency of a sleeping tablet to the party.
Sloppy in possession, and playing with the tempo of the last dance at a wedding, they were lucky not to fall behind after five minutes.
Home skipper Dominik Kruzliak directed his free header high and wide of Jordan Pickford’s near post.
Then Erik Daniel’s low centre from the right flank required the England Under21 keeper’s urgent intervention, and Everton’s £30million debutant was reassuringly equal to the task.
When an incisive final pass or ruthless finish would have served them well, the Toffees had the cutting edge of a rusty lawnmower blade – and nobody’s end product looked in more need of lubrication than Rooney’s.
Amid the sentiment of the star’s homecoming at the school of science in last week’s moribund first leg, he appeared to have forgotten his chemistry set. And as he fought to make his mark on a desperately average first-half from the Toffees, his mixed bag included a wastefully high chip after 17 minutes.
There was also an air shot which would have embarrassed a municipal golf club hacker and a mistimed header.
When the season kicks in, and Koeman’s trolley dash for new recruits is complete, Rooney may find there is only a limited demand for enigmatic finishing.