Everton's pre-season preparations kicked off with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium on Tuesday evening. In wet conditions, Accrington proved to be a challenging opponent for David Moyes' side.
Team selection was somewhat limited due to the delayed return of international players such as Jordan Pickford, Iliman Ndiaye, and Idrissa Gueye. New signings Thierno Barry and Mark Travers were also absent from the squad. However, Jarrad Branthwaite featured in the starting lineup, although James Tarkowski is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
The game started with James Garner getting the action underway, but it was Everton's Harry Tyrer who was first called into action, parrying away a glanced header. Everton then started to create chances. Patterson had a good opportunity in the 14th minute, but his shot went wide. A well-worked move saw Mykolenko find Chermiti, whose shot was straight at the keeper.
Armstrong's cross found Iroegbunam, whose excellent cross led to a fine diving header from Chermiti, but the Accrington keeper made a great save. Alcaraz and Armstrong also had chances, but the keeper was up to the task.
In the second half, substitutions were made as Everton looked for an equaliser. Beto eventually found the net from the penalty spot in the 81st minute after Isaac Heath was brought down in the box. Accrington managed to hold on for the draw.
Key Moments:
- Beto equalises with a penalty in the 81st minute.
- Several good saves from the Accrington Stanley goalkeeper.
- Armstrong and Chermiti create multiple chances.
Everton will look to build on this performance as they continue their pre-season preparations. The match provided valuable minutes for the squad and highlighted areas for improvement before the start of the new season.