January 18, (THEWILL) – Andre Gomes scored his first goal at Goodison Park in almost five years, settling a drab FA Cup third-round replay against Crystal Palace. Gomes curled a brilliant 25-yard free-kick into the top corner on 42 minutes to give Everton a 1-0 victory over their English Premier League opponents.
The goal ended Gomes’ long wait for a Goodison goal, with Everton’s previous free-kick goal dating back to August 2019. It was a rare moment of quality in an otherwise uneventful game on a cold night in Goodison Park, Liverpool.
Both sides struggled to create many clear-cut chances, with Everton strike, Dominic Calvert-Lewin cutting an isolated figure upfront. Palace winger, Eberechi Eze, was the visitors’ main threat but was surprisingly substituted midway through the second half.
In the end, it was Gomes’ stunning set-piece that made the difference, sending Everton into round four to face fellow Premier League side Luton Town. Given their respective league struggles this season, that tie represents a great opportunity for either side to progress further in the competition.
The win continues Everton’s excellent FA Cup record against top-flight opponents, with this their first third-round victory over an EPL team since 1988. Much of the credit will go to goalkeeper Joao Virginia, whose string of fine second-half saves ensured the Toffees kept a valuable clean sheet.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
