EDINSON CAVANI produced a moment of magic to fire Manchester United into a fourth semi-final this year.
Now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be determined they go one step further than in the last four of the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Europa League last season.
Edinson Cavani brilliantly fires the crucial United breakthrough goal on 88 minutesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Man Utd striker Edinson Cavani celebrates his fourth goal in 12 games since arriving on a free transfer from PSGCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Sub Anthony Martial doubles United’s lead deep into the five minutes of stoppage timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
One step further to Wembley, then all the steps up to collect his first trophy as a manager.
There was just two minutes left of normal time in this EFL quarter-final when veteran Cavani eased the ball away from Ben Godfrey with his right boot and then let fly with his left.
Robin Olsen had no chance as the ball curled into the far bottom corner.
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In the final minute of injury time with Everton pushing for an equaliser Marcus Rashford fed Martial to finish things off
Solskjaer had made nine changes from the team that beat Leeds United 6-2.
That would normally lead to a more disjointed display.
Quite the opposite in the first half.
The personnel may have changed but as with the Leeds game they were out the blocks quickly again.
Their slow starters tag has been shaken off.
But while they lead 4-1 at the break against Marco Bielsa’s men they had nothing to show for the slick football and chances created at Goodison Park.
It was slick too with little flicks and dummies.
Marcus Rashford helps fellow sub Anthony Martial hail his late goalCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Everton’s Brazilian striker Richarlison and Man Utd defender Eric Bailly are treated following a nasty aerial collisionCredit: AFP
They won five corners in the first ten minutes and had nine scoring attempts to one before the half hour – but crucially no goals.
Mason Greenwood, left on the bench at the weekend, was looking particularly sharp in the final third.
When he had a shot blocked in the seventh minute and Paul Pogba played a clever backheel Donny van de Beek had a chance charged down by Seamus Coleman.
A mistake by Rob Olsen in the Everton goal almost let Edinson Cavani in when he charged down his delayed clearance.
Unfortunately for Cavani the ball ricocheted off him straight back to Olsen.
The veteran Uruguayan was a threat, with his constant movement in and around the box setting off alarm bells in front of the 2,000 Everton fans allowed in.
Olsen did particularly well to deny him from an angle, blocking one close range volley and instinctively sticking out a hand to deny the return.
Greenwood then did superbly in spreading the ball out to Bruno Fernnandes before making his way into the box to meet his cross and flick a diving header across goal, shaving the far post.
Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw Edinson Cavani make the difference late on at Goodison, putting the visitors into the EFL Cup semis Credit: EPA
Man Utd striker Mason Greenwood sees Everton’s Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes get to the ball first during the EFL Cup quarter-final Credit: AFP
Pogba had a chance with a header too from a corner but directed it straight at the goalkeeper.
Everton did steady themselves on the half hour mark and pulled a good save out of Dean Henderson when Gylfi Sigurdsson curled a free-kick over the wall.
After the break in the 52nd minute Cavani will have been thankful that VAR is not being used in this competition until the semi-final stage.
He was having a push and shove with off the ball Yerry Mina before grabbing the Everton player by the throat and pushing him to the ground.
The officials had not seen so nothing could be done.
Everton then lost a groggy-looking Richarlison after he collided with Eric Bailly and United grabbed the initiative once more as Everton reorganised.
Fernandes had a great chance from the edge of the area after he was teed up by Pogba, but the player who can do no wrong, got this wrong as he blazed the ball over the bar.
With United still failing to make the most of their dominance Solskjaer called upon Rashford and Anthony Martial.
Everton defender Seamus Coleman battles to keep the ball inCredit: AFP
The ineffective Van de Beek and Greenwood made way.
But From the slick football of the first half United were starting to get scrappy.
The whole game was starting to slow as it entered the final 15 minutes.
It looked like Everton were ready to settle for the penalties while United continued to look for the key to break the deadlock.
When Fernandes put Martial in he completely missed his kick as the ball deflected away from him off his standing leg.
Suddenly Everton had a chance when Alex Iwobi curled a cross into the centre of the area but Gylfi Sigurdsson’s diving header was well wide.
Then Cavani had his moment.
The move started with Harry Maguire finding Martial in space and he fed Cavani
The super striker comes alive in these moments turning inside Ben Godfrey, switching the ball from his right foot onto his left before delivering a cracking finish curling low past Olsen into the far bottom corner.
With Everton pushing for an equaliser there defence was wide open and United took advantage through Martial.
Everton down and out, United into another semi.
Man Utd set to hand Mason Greenwood new long-term contract in 2021 after breaking into Solskjaer’s first-team
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
