Fantasy Football Management

Everton vs Sheffield Wednesday

The day had finally arrived. The PMF Super Cup Final between Division 2 champions Everton and Division 3 runners-up Sheffield Wednesday was upon us, and the PMF National Stadium was packed to the rafters for this massive fixture. Blue was the theme for the stadium today, with Toffees and Owls replica jerseys aplenty, and the ground was abuzz with songs and chanting from both sets of supporters as they sat at opposite ends. Small groups of neutral supporters could be found in the stadium, but they were very easily outnumbered by the partisan fans in the crowd.

Everton came into this match as white-hot favourites. Aussie Jones' men had destroyed Division 1 heavyweights Newcastle United 5-0 on the weekend, even with the loss of strikers Mark Viduka and Kevin Campbell, and came into this match brimful of confidence. Of course, with two regular strikers missing, the Australian manager had to make some adjustments to his side, with Martijn Reuser going into an advanced central position to allow Toffees hero and retiring player/assistant manager Stuart McCall a run on in his final professional game. The Scot was in central midfield in an attacking 3-5-2 formation.

Not for the first time this season, Gordon Wilkins brought his Owls into this game very much as underdogs. Wednesday had made a quite amazing run to the final, defeating Division 1 champions Liverpool in the first round, then going through on penalties to deny an all-Division 2 final with Aston Villa. The Owls had no problems with selection in their side, Wilkins taking advantage by picking a full-strength lineup in a typical 4-4-2 formation.

The match began very quickly, and surprisingly the Owls had the early running. Owen Morrison received a pass down the left and set off on a run, leaving Brett Emerton well behind. With no rightback in front of him, the winger had ample time to measure a cross which found the late run of Trond-Egil Soltvedt at the far post, but the Norwegian veteran sent his header disappointingly wide.

The Owls then had another opportunity, in the 6th minute, when Morrison played in Dean Ashton perfectly, but the young striker spent too long on the ball and was forced to shoot wide under pressure.

Everton soon took control of the midfield though, and although they were applying very little pressure in the final third of the field, they had all the running in the middle. Thomas Gravesen especially was impressive, forging a nice relationship with McCall, and the Dane was only inches away from providing a stunning go-ahead goal when a stinging drive from outside 30 yards was spectacularly tipped wide by Kevin Pressman.

From the corner, Sebastian Deisler found the unlikely figure of Tomasz Radzinski making a forward run to the near post, but the Canadian couldn't twist his body enough and headed wide.

The Toffees should've had the lead in the 23rd minute, again from a corner, when Deisler swung a perfect ball in for tall defender Michael Duberry. The centre back, whose marker had slipped over, could only balloon his header well over, receiving some jeers by the Owls fans behind the goals for his effort.

Jones looked frustrated on the sidelines, chances were falling his teams way but they just weren't converting. Worse was to follow though as, on the half hour mark, a penalty area scramble saw the ball fall to the feet of Reuser on the edge of the six yard box, but somehow the Dutchman hit his effort over the bar.

With half time approaching, Wednesday made a late flurry of attacks, but Mark Bosnich was equal to the task to block good efforts by Ashton and Gerald Sibon. Ashton had another effort in the 41st minute denied by not one but two posts, his stinging drive from outside the area seeing Bosnich tip the effort onto the left post, before the ball rolled along the line and hit the second post, before bouncing out and being cleared. Claims by the Wednesday fans for the goal to be awarded were quite rightly ignored by match official Henry Cricklewood.

Everton themselves should've had the lead in first half injury time, and Owls fans had David Weir to thank for saving them. It came from a mistake by captain Pressman, who came out to clear a back pass but only succeeded in slicing the ball to Reuser. The winger-cum-striker hit his effort towards what seemed to be an empty goal, but just as the ball was about to cross the line Scottish defender Weir came from nowhere to slide the ball away.

Half time followed soon after, and Reuser was not to reappear for the second half. He suffered the dreadful fate of 'Everton Strikeritis', forced to be substituted at half time with a broken toe sustained in a challenge at the death of the half. He was replaced, strangely enough, by Australian midfielder Richard Johnson for the second half. No changes were made by Wilkins, who seemed happy enough with his side's first half effort.

Johnson, known for his long range shooting, was finding his radar early, his first touch of the ball was to tee up a cracker of an effort from 24 yards out which flew just over the crossbar in just the second minute of the second half.

Everton came out in the second half the much better side, and were suddenly swamping the Wednesday defence, stretching them to breaking point at times. Twice the impressive Gravesen got the ball behind the defence for Radzinski to run onto, but both times the Canadian failed to trouble Pressman.

The Owls captain was in fine form for this match though, and defied gravity to deny an Emerton strike on the hour mark. He then pulled off his second great save just seconds later, pushing Alan Mahon's drive from the rebound wide.

Frustration soon crept into the game, which had seen no bookings to that point, with Gravesen and Morgan Nilsson getting involved in a silly incident in the 63rd minute. The Swede took offence to a rough challenge by Gravesen, the two exchanged some heated words, and both were booked by Cricklewood.

It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before Everton took the lead, but the besieged Owls defence was holding up well. Radzinski had a low drive blocked on the line by Pressman's thigh, then McCall had a dipping volley clatter into the bar, before again it was Weir to the rescue to produce a timely tackle as Deisler was ready to shoot.

The pace of the game, coupled with extra time in their penalty win over Aston Villa, was beginning to take its toll on the Owls, and Nilsson was brought off for Derek Geary, while an exhausted Simon Donnelly was substituted for Dean Windass. For Everton, Nick Chadwick replaced a tired Gravesen - who was applauded off the field for a fine performance - while Marco Bresciano came on for Mahon.

With the possibility of extra time and the dreaded penalty shoot-out looming, Everton 'upped the ante', Wednesday's entire team camped in their own penalty box for nearly ten minutes. They were frustrating the Evertonians on the field and in the crowd though - but none more so then when a Bresciano shot was blatantly blocked at the near post by Scot Gemmill's hand, which Cricklewood didn't see, much to the relief of the Owls fans.

But could Wednesday hold out? The answer was no, as Everton dramatically took the lead in the 88th minute. Back helping defend, striker Sibon brought down Johnson directly in front 25 yards out, conceding the free kick. The Everton fans behind the goals were buzzing as Deisler, Johnson and Emerton stood around the ball, and they were singing seconds later as a well-rehearsed move saw Emerton tap the ball across for Johnson to fake a shot, before Deisler expertly curled a shot into the top left corner of the net. Wednesday's players and fans were shellshocked.

All their fight gone, the Owls conceded a late late late penalty, in the fourth minute of injury time, when Gemmill got payback for his missed offence earlier by having another, albeit accidental, handball spotted by the linesman. His flag got Cricklewood's attention and whistle, and fans behind the goal chanted "Macca, Macca", hoping that regular penalty taker Deisler would relent and let McCall take the penalty. The German did, and McCall didn't disappoint with the final kick of his career, drilling the penalty low and straight down the middle with Pressman guessing left.

Cricklewood ended the game immediately after, and finally it was all over. Everton's season had ended in yet another amazing victory, and they've now shaken off their underdog tag. For Wednesday, that they were in the final at all is quite amazing, and Wilkins will feel that his side are genuine contenders for the Division 2 crown next season if they keep up their recent form next season. For Everton though, their season was over, the Toffees being crowned PMF's Champion of Champions. A fitting end to a great season in PMF.

Everton 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Everton Squad: Mark Bosnich 7, Steve Watson 7, Michael Duberry 7, Alan Stubbs © 8, Thomas Gravesen 9 (Nick Chadwick 6), Stuart McCall 8, Brett Emerton 8, Sebastian Deisler 9, Tomasz Radzinski 8, Martijn Reuser 7 (Richard Johnson 7), Alan Mahon 6 (Marco Bresciano 7).

Subs Not Used: Steve Simonsen, Alessandro Pistone.

Scorers: Deisler '88, McCall '90 (pen).

Injuries: Reuser (broken toe - 15th May).

Bookings: Duberry, Stubbs, Gravesen.

Sendings Off: None.

Sheffield Wednesday Squad: Kevin Pressman © 8, Roland Nilsson 7 (Derek Geary 6), Andy Hinchcliffe 7, Leigh Bromby 7, David Weir 8, Simon Donnelly 7 (Dean Windass 6), Owen Morrison 8, Trond-Egil Soltvedt 7 (Tony Crane 6), Scot Gemmill 6, Gerald Sibon 7, Dean Ashton 7.
Subs Not Used: Kasey Keller, Rob Lee.

Scorers: None.

Injuries: None.

Bookings: Nilsson, Weir.

Sendings Off: None.

Match Stats

Shots On Target: Everton 13-3 Sheffield Wednesday

Shots Off Target: 6-3

Fouls Committed: 15-22

Corners: 8-1

Offsides: 7-0

Possession: 61%-39%

Attendance: 100,000 (full capacity) @ PMF National Stadium, London

Referee: Henry Cricklewood - 9/10.

Man of the Match: Thomas Gravesen - although brought off a little early, the Dane had a fantastic game. Was defensively a rock, and offensively a solid driving force, and a very worthy winner of today's award.