The game went to penalties after it finished extra time at 3-3, with both teams having played some good attacking football. Everton took an early lead through Kevin Campbell. The goal was very Campbell like, rising to nod in a Naysmith corner. Despite Newcastle playing well throughout the game, it looked to all as if the game would finish 1-0, which would make that result something of a habit for us.
Rooney went close just before half time, his dipping shot turned away well by Harper in the Newcastle goal, and LuaLua’s shot was well blocked by the impressive Stubbs.
However, it wasn’t to be, and in the 75th minute, up stepped Kieron Dyer. In fact, he stepped up twice, on 75 and 77 minutes, to give the home side a 2-1 lead. Firstly he ran on to a good through ball to toe poke the equaliser home, and then only moments later he struck a superb right foot shot to take his side into the lead.
All looked to be lost for the visitors, but it was former Toon Steve Watson who took the game into extra time with just five minutes remaining. Wayne Rooney burst into space down the right channel and pulled the ball back for Watson to strike home.
So, into extra time, and it looked like the team who had the most stamina would prevail. Allesandro Pistone, who has been short of match practice recently, was nearly the villain of the piece, putting Newcastle in front on 100 minutes with an unfortunate own goal. However, Newcastle once again let their lead slip, and they were very much the architects of their own downfall. With only 5 minutes remaining in extra time, Steve Caldwell was sent off and from the resulting penalty, the ever cool Unsworth took the game into a penalty shoot out.
David Unsworth took Everton’s first penalty and placed in the same corner as the last one. Unfortunately this one didn’t go in, and with Newcastle having scored their first, and then going on to score their second, Everton were 2-0 down after just three kicks. However, Richard Wright stole the show and won the game, saving from Hugo Viana and Laurent Robert, with youngster Chopra hitting his kick over the bar. Everton then didn’t miss another kick, with Campbell, Rooney and Watson securing Everton’s passage into the last 16.