LONDON (AP) – Dominic Calvert-Lewin produced the purpose and James Rodriguez sparked it on his debut when Everton opened the Premier League season with a 1-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday.
Calvert-Lewin overcame defenders Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld to receive a loose shot from Lucas Digne and move on to goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 10th minute of the period.
Everton had wasted a much less difficult chance of taking the lead in the first half when Richarlison missed an open goal. The Brazilian ran with a Pass from Ben Davies out of place and overlooked Lloris, but controlled a shot over an unprotected net from a tight angle.
At least Richarlison about to score. Tottenham striker Harry Kane useless in front of the goal, with just two taps in everton’s penalty area.
It was Tottenham’s first manager, Jose Mourinho, who in the past controlled Chelsea and Manchester United, lost his first match of the main league season, having failed to signal a replacement option for Kane.
Everton’s biggest signing of the shortened summer break was James from Real Madrid where he went out of his way and the Colombian midfielder has been willing in his debut – in only his match so far since February – at the center of offensive risk and as is should be shooting balls.
Another player who discovered Carlo Ancelotti, Allan, who joined Napoli, also dominant in the middle of the field in front of a useless Tottenham.
It is the first time Everton has won at home in one of the six most sensitive groups since 2013.
The victory, a sign of Everton’s prospect of being able to make its way into the European championship, puts Ancelotti’s first full season at the helm of a team that has strayed from the relegation danger for a 12th-place finish in July.
Mourinho also took the first part of last season, while Tottenham finished sixth.
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