Page 36 - min.vos 7 jan,2016

SPORTS A17
Thursday 7 January 2016

Oh Man

Everton Beats Man City 2-1 in 1st Leg of League Cup Semi

Everton’s Seamus Coleman, right, fights for the ball against Manchester City’s Gael Clichy during their English League Cup semi final first leg soccer match between
Everton and Manchester City at Goodison Park Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday Jan. 6, 2016.

(AP Photo/Jon Super)

STEVE DOUGLAS nal. The Merseyside clubs ously — when City equal- Romelu Lukaku is the per- gate attacks. Gareth Barry
AP Sports Writer met in the 1984 final, which ized on a counterattack fect striker for our team,” performed an admirable
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool won, during a in the 76th. Sergio Aguero Martinez said. “He wants to job as Everton’s holding
A Merseyside derby in the period in which they were controlled a long clear- be the best in the world ... midfielder and provided
English League Cup final the dominant teams in the ance forward and had it’s a joy to see him enjoy- the assist for Lukaku, lead-
was closer to reality after country. only two defenders in front ing his football and scoring ing Martinez to describe
Everton beat Manchester There are still 90 minutes of him on the halfway line. goals.” him as “one of the best
City 2-1 in the first leg of to go in both matchups The striker laid in a perfectly Lukaku hobbled off with a English players ever.”
their semifinal on Wednes- — the second legs are in weighted pass for substi- minor ankle injury soon af- City got 90 minutes out of
day, with in-form Romelu three weeks — but Everton tute Jesus Navas, who had ter scoring, one of three Aguero as he battles back
Lukaku grabbing the win- manager Roberto Martinez sprinted upfield in support Everton players to go off to full fitness — and he
ner. said his team will take con- and met the ball with a in the second half as Eng- wasted City’s best chances
Lukaku scored his 19th fidence from the manner of first-time diagonal shot past land’s hectic schedule aside from the goal — but
goal of the season when this victory, outplaying City goalkeeper Joel Robles. during and after Christmas lost center back Eliaquim
he headed home late at at times. But two minutes later Lu- continues to take its toll. Mangala to a hamstring in-
Goodison Park, giving Ever- Ramiro Funes Mori put Ever- kaku had the final say. He Seamus Coleman and Tom jury. With Vincent Kompany
ton a deserved lead to ton ahead in first-half injury has failed to score in only Cleverley had more serious also out, City is short of cov-
take to City for the second time, steering home a re- two of his last 12 games in calf injuries. er in central defense.
leg on Jan. 27. bound from close range af- all competitions, making City started brightly but of- Everton has never won the
Liverpool, Everton’s close ter Ross Barkley’s shot was him arguably the most le- ten looked sluggish, with League Cup, losing the fi-
neighbor and biggest rival, parried out, and the hosts thal striker in English football Barkley finding plenty of nal in 1977 and ‘84. City has
leads Stoke 1-0 after the were pressing for a second at the moment. space between City’s de- won it three times, most re-
first leg of the other semifi- goal — perhaps over-zeal- “I have always thought fense and midfield to insti- cently in 2014.q