Landon Donovan gets to put a check mark next to “Score a Goal” on his loan to-do list as he neatly put one in the net and almost had a second in Everton’s comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland.
After Tim Cahill put Everton up 1-0 in the 7th minute, Donovan doubled the lead with a slick move in the 19th minute. Cahill flicked the ball to Donovan at the top of the box who chested it down to his left to give himself the space to slot it past Craig Gordon. The crowd started chanting USA-USA-USA as Donovan celebrated his first goal in Toffee blue.
In the second half, Donovan came within a hair of getting another. After rounding Gordon, Landon Donovan’s goalbound shot was cleared off the line by George McCartney. When Donovan was subbed out in the 75th minute, the crowd at Goodison applauded his effort. After the game, Everton coach David Moyes had this to day about Donovan:
“The games he’s started have been Arsenal and Man City, who are two of the better teams in the country really, and I thought he played really well in those games. He’s got a great goal-scoring record in America if you look at it. He’s got a great record for his national team. He hadn’t really had chances in those games, but tonight he got the first one and was a bit unlucky not to get a second one. So if he can add us a goal or two that would be great.”
All in all, a great day at the office for Donovan, who seems to be adapting to the Premiership very quickly.
