Source: Telegraph
Everton 2 West Ham United 2: match report
A bright orange sign hung from the door of the Church of St Luke the Evangelist on the corner of Goodison Road, a notice stark and surprising on Easter Sunday. 'We are not open today,' it read. It is a feeling the devoutly religious Gianfranco Zola, arriving here on the back of six consecutive defeats, can no doubt appreciate. For once, though, the Italian may feel his prayers have been answered. [LNB]With three minutes to go, the West Ham manager must have thought his calvary would never end. After Manuel da Costa cancelled out Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's opener, a late goal from Yakubu seemed to have condemned him to another defeat, another week of speculation over his future, another week of entreaty to any higher power who would have him. [LNB]With two minutes to go, his faith was restored. Ilan, on as a substitute and widely derided since his January move from St Etienne, produced a stunning diving header to meet Julien Faubert's cross. West Ham may only sit outside the relegation zone by one point, but at least there pointless purgatory may be over. [LNB]Few among the boisterous travelling support - serenading their hosts with an a cappella, atonal rendition of Twist and Shout for long swathes of the afternoon - would have expected to pick up points here, of course, but then few would have expected to come up against such a sluggish, slapdash Everton side. [LNB]Despite losing Valon Behrami, arguably the finest player at Zola's disposal, to injury in the warm-up, the visitors started far more brightly than David Moyes's side. Scott Parker and Mark Noble crackled with energy in midfield, Carlton Cole bustled and bullied upfront. [LNB]But just as Goodison Park was beginning to wonder how the committed, compact side Everton were facing could be quite so deep in the mire, West Ham kindly offered a practical demonstration. [LNB]Jonathan Spector, under no pressure whatsoever at the far post, headed Leighton Baines's cross high in the air. The ball lazily arced to the waiting Tim Cahill, whose header picked out Bilyaletdinov, just inside the six-yard box. The Russian, gently nodding past Robert Green, will not score many easier goals in his career. [LNB]There is a distinct streak of masochism to this West Ham team. Even when presented with the perfect opportunity to undo the damage, they could not capitalise. [LNB]Cole, racing on to a Parker through ball, tugged and tussled with Sylvain Distin. Howard Webb, alone in the ground, spotted an infringement - though not one worthy of a red card - against the Frenchman, and pointed to the spot. [LNB]Up stepped Mido, a man who has not scored for more than a year, to place an almost apologetic penalty low to Tim Howard's right. The American, sprawling, clawed it away. Small wonder that when the Egyptian striker, a passenger all afternoon, was booked moments later, the away end begged Webb to send him off. [LNB]By the end of the game, such self-deprecation was forgotten. Da Costa had bundled the visitors level on the hour as Noble's corner ricocheted around the penalty area, and West Ham looked set fair for a point until Yakubu rose above Matthew Upson to turn another Baines cross past Green. Less than 60 seconds later, though, Ilan had provided his own intervention. Zola, and West Ham, would be quick to call it divine.[LNB]
