Burnley 1-3 Everton: Lukaku atones for mistake to give Everton victory (video)


Romelu Lukaku isn’t having the season he had last year, but at least he’s looking to amend his mistakes.

A horrid back pass led to Burnley cancelling out an early Samuel Eto’o goal, but Lukaku atoned by scoring the winner midway through the first half and Everton held on through the final 45.

Eto’o closed things out and grabbed a brace as time wound down to ensure the result.

Everton picked up an early boost when their bright play off the opening whistle gave them a goal straight away. Eto’o headed home a Leighton Baines cross after just four minutes as the Ivorian grabbed his first ever away goal in Premier League play.

But Burnley built slowly on a few Everton mistakes, and they would capitalize on a big one. Lukaku had a blighted start to the match, and his back-pass on 20 minutes was straight to Lukas Jutkiewicz who slotted Danny Ings on goal brilliantly. The Burnley striker touched past Tim Howard unhindered and slotted in the ball calmly to put Burnley level.

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The goal was just Burnely’s fifth of the season and Ings first of his Premier League career. But it wouldn’t last.

Burnley pressed hard for a second after building its confidence, but Lukaku would atone. Everton got the ball forward just before the half-hour mark, and it ping-ponged in the box before falling to the big Belgian who awkwardly but successfully smashed it home on the bounce to restore Everton’s 2-1 lead.

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Again the home side looked bright after falling behind, but as halftime neared they couldn’t muster anything before the break.  After halftime, both sides put forth attacks but there were no clear cut chances before the hour mark. Yellow cards flew, as five were handed out before the tick of 60 minutes.

Leighton Baines provided Everton with a spark on 63 minutes with a lethal free kick from way out but no Everton strikers could get a foot to it.

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The visitors owned possession the final 20 minutes, as they pushed for more, but they wouldn’t need it to hold on as Burnley slumped to defeat yet again. They remain without a win on the season and still sit just off the bottom of the table on goal difference.

If anything was in doubt, Eto’o bookended Lukaku’s winner with Everton’s third, a curler with five minutes to go in the match. He was unlucky not to get a hat-trick in garbage time, as his slow-roller beat beat Tom Heaton one-on-one but rolled across the face before clanking the post and coming back out along the line.

Everton take the three points and jump into the top half of the table, a moment Roberto Martinez will savor after an inconsistent start to the season. Now, they’ve got two wins in a row for the first time this season and will look to ensure their return to European play.


Burnley: Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Ward; Kightly (Sordell 84′), Jones, Arfield, Boyd; Jutkiewicz (Barnes 65′), Ings.

Goals: Ings 20′

Everton: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Alcaraz, Baines; Naismith, McCarthy, Barry, Osman (Pienaar 82′); Eto’o, Lukaku (Barkley 65′).

Goals: Eto’o 4′, 86′; Lukaku 29′