August 24, (THEWILL) — Everton marked their inaugural match at Hill Dickinson Stadium with a convincing 2-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion, delivering David Moyes the perfect start to life at the club’s new home. The Toffees bounced back from their disappointing opening-day defeat to Leeds United, with goals from Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner providing the foundation for three crucial points on Sunday afternoon.
Ndiaye opened the scoring in the 28th minute, converting Jack Grealish’s precise cross from the right flank to become the first player to find the net at Everton’s new ground. The Senegalese forward, who netted the final goals at Goodison Park last season, continued his knack for memorable moments by writing his name into the stadium’s early history books.
Brighton dominated large spells of the contest but failed to capitalise on numerous chances, striking the woodwork twice in the opening 45 minutes. Danny Welbeck and Matt O’Riley both squandered excellent opportunities before Garner doubled Everton’s advantage seven minutes into the second half, firing home from the edge of the penalty area after Brighton failed to clear their lines effectively.
Jordan Pickford cemented the victory with a crucial penalty save from Welbeck in the 77th minute, diving low to his left to deny the Brighton striker after referee Michael Oliver awarded a spot-kick for handball. The England goalkeeper’s intervention preserved Everton’s clean sheet and capped an impressive defensive display from Moyes’ reorganised side.
Grealish’s performance on his full Everton debut provided particular encouragement for the home supporters, with the midfielder creating both goals through intelligent positioning and accurate delivery. The result lifts Everton to eighth place in the early English Premier League table, whilst Brighton are 18th position on one point after their earlier draw against Fulham in the season’s opener.
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.
