TOFFEES WIN SOURED BY CROWD TROUBLE

EVERTON’S Europa League qualifying play-off first leg win over Hajduk Split is set to be scrutinised by Uefa after the match at Goodison Park had to be stopped for a few minutes due to crowd trouble in the away end.

Trouble flared in the first half of Everton’s 2-0 win, with missiles being thrown and advertising boards being kicked over as supporters surged towards the pitch.

As stewards and police moved to try to bring the situation under control, the players were instructed to leave the field by Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak and the game was halted for several minutes.

Michael Keane’s header had given Everton the lead just prior to that in the 30th minute and Idrissa Gueye doubled the advantage in the 45th minute.

Regarding t he crowd trouble , Ever ton boss Ronald Koeman said: “I was disappointed.

“I like to have it really fair, that you can play football, and we needed to stop. I don’t know what happened, it was in the corner.”

Koeman felt his side failed to take a “big opportunity” to seal qualification for the group stages ahead of next w e e k ’s s e c o n d leg in Croatia.

He said: “Really happy about the first half and really unhappy about the second.

“I think we l ost a big opportunity to score more goals and decide qualification.

“We were 2-0 up before half-time, and there was a chance for Wayne (Rooney) to score the third, and then we dropped the tempo in the second half.

“It will be difficult now.”