MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
A knockout competition defines Carlo Ancelotti’s career and it isn’t the FA Cup. Embarrassing defeats can define a reign, however, and the triple Champions League winner flirted with humiliation as Rotherham excelled at Goodison Park.
Ancelotti’s Everton needed extra time; it amounted to an unconvincing way to progress. He now has 666 wins in his career and a first in the FA Cup as Everton manager may be among the most undistinguished of them all. As his assistant Duncan Ferguson said: “There was a wee bit of relief."
Progress came courtesy of two of his summer signings and Ancelotti’s capacity to change a game from the bench. Abdoulaye Doucoure, sent on to liven Everton up, sent them through with an assured finish from James Rodriguez’s defence-splitting pass.
“Any manager who is under the cosh would put those sort of subs on,” rued Rotherham manager Paul Warne after another replacement, Bernard, hit the post in extra time. But on a day when Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were rested, Everton’s reliance on their premier players was illustrated by the mediocrity of most of the supporting cast.
Cenk Tosun stood in for Calvert-Lewin, scored one goal and had another disallowed, but otherwise, this was not an advertisement for much of Everton’s recruitment before Ancelotti’s appointment and the Turkey international may yet be a January departure. “It will be down to the club and himself,” added Ferguson. “Cenk has got a big part to play at the club.”
But one of Everton’s best buys, Lucas Digne, made a faster-than-expected recovery from ankle surgery, only for his comeback to be marred by Rotherham’s rampaging wing-back Matthew Olosunde, who scored, starred and accounted in part for Digne’s substitution.
Born in Trenton, New Jersey and playing now at the New York Stadium, the American almost set up a seismic shock.
Rotherham have not won away at top-flight opponents in the FA Cup since 1953, they have lost their last eight away games and they may beat a swift return to League One, but none of that was apparent in a terrific performance. “I am really pleased with my lads, they make my soul shine on a daily basis,” said Warne. They played so well he ended up deeming it: “A wasted opportunity.”
Despite a fine start, Everton’s was largely a dismal display, devoid of drive, wit or invention. Andre Gomes was too lightweight in midfield and Alex Iwobi utterly ineffectual on the right. It was a sign of how little threat they posed that they did not win a corner until the 73rd minute. Ancelotti had his head in his hands in frustration at one point. No wonder.
Rotherham lost 7-0 to Manchester City at this stage last season. They may have feared a repeat when Everton began well. Tosun made his first Everton start since November 2019, and got his first goal for the club since that same month. It was stylishly taken, a delicate dink over goalkeeper Jamal Blackman after Rotherham’s defence was opened up by Anthony Gordon’s pass.
Everton’s belated second goal had some similarities with the first. This time Rodriguez provided the penetrative pass. Abdoulaye Doucoure ran on to it to give the calm finish. But it was also notable because, in the intervening 84 minutes, all Everton had mustered was a well-taken Tosun goal, which VAR disallowed.
“The only disappointing part was the first five or 10 minutes, we showed them too much respect which I warned them about,” rued Warne.
After that, Michael Smith had shot over, Robin Olsen made a brilliant double save from Olosunde and Dan Barlaser, and Matt Crooks glanced a header over. Olosunde fully deserved his equaliser for his relentless attacking.
Smith’s pass bounced fortunately into his path, but the American reacted well, twisting in to shoot in off the far post. Suitably buoyed, he almost set up a second goal, finding Wes Harding, who shot over. Everton were reprieved. “Getting through,” Ferguson added. “That’s the main thing.”
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
