Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Everton: Yerry Mina's 99th-minute equaliser rescues point for struggling Toffees

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Everton: Yerry Mina's 99th-minute equaliser rescues point for struggling Toffees
_129791710_gettyimages-1256432929.jpgYerry Mina's equaliser came in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time

Everton's fight to avoid the drop into the Championship will go down to the final day of the season despite Yerry Mina snatching a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage time at Wolves.

The Toffees looked on course for a damaging defeat until Mina pounced in a goalmouth scramble in the final seconds of nine minutes of additional time to give Sean Dyche's side what might prove to be a priceless point.

Everton must now anxiously await how other results pan out to discover the full extent of their task when they face Bournemouth at Goodison Park.

Wolves went ahead in a scrappy encounter after 34 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan scored from a rebound after Everton keeper Jordan Pickford had pushed out Adama Traore's shot.

Everton's best opportunities came with two first-half headers from Dominic Calvert-Lewin but they suffered a severe blow when the injury-plagued striker was forced to limp off with his latest problem on the stroke of half-time.

It now rests on that crucial clash with Bournemouth as Everton attempt to avoid their first relegation from the top tier since 1951 but this may yet be the point that helps to maintain their Premier League status.

Everton give themselves hope

Everton's attempts to avoid a damaging defeat became increasingly desperate in nine chaotic minutes in the Molineux sunshine - and they brought a reward.

Michael Keane, on as a substitute for the injured Nathan Patterson, was playing as an emergency striker in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who had gone off with yet another injury.

And it was Keane who got on the end of James Tarkowski's knockdown from Demarai Gray's cross, setting up Mina to score through a pile of bodies in the six-yard box.

Even a draw was not ideal for Everton but ultimately this was a point they will take gratefully as it looked for so long as if they would leave Wolverhampton empty-handed.

It all now rests on other results before Everton know what they have to do at home to Bournemouth next week, with Leeds able to overhaul them and send them into the bottom three if they win at West Ham.

Everton suffered a huge blow when Calvert-Lewin sat on the turf, head in hands in despair, after pulling up with another injury as he chased an innocuous throughball.

If he is missing against Bournemouth, as seems likely from his reaction and the fact he could not carry on a few moments until the interval, it will be a serious setback.

Everton now face their third last-day fight for survival in the Premier League era on what will be a highly-charged occasion at Goodison Park.

Lopetegui builds platform

Julen Lopetegui can reflect with satisfaction on his early months at Wolves after he succeeded the sacked Bruno Lage.

The Spaniard took the acclaim of the Wolves fans at the conclusion of their final home game of the season, even though it was tinged with disappointment after Mina's late leveller deprived them of a win.

Lopetegui's task when he took over was to keep Wolves in the Premier League by moving them away from a perilous position, and he has done so successfully.

He inherited a squad that required serious strengthening. Now, having achieved his first aim, he will look to put even more of his own stamp on the side by the start of next season.

It remains to be seen whether he keeps key players such as captain Ruben Neves, who received a hero's reception as he picked up end of season awards in the centre circle after the final whistle.

Wolves can end the season knowing they are safe - now Lopetegui must move them forward.

Player of the match

Hwang Hee-chanHwang Hee-chan

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chan

Squad number15Player nameDawson

Squad number37Player nameTraoré

Squad number5Player nameLemina

Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes

Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves

Squad number35Player nameJoão Gomes

Squad number6Player nameTraoré

Squad number4Player nameCollins

Squad number29Player nameDiego Costa

Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence

Squad number25Player nameBentley

Squad number24Player nameToti

Squad number12Player nameMatheus Cunha

Squad number21Player nameSarabia

Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo

Everton

Squad number3Player namePatterson

Squad number13Player nameMina

Squad number2Player nameTarkowski

Squad number7Player nameMcNeil

Squad number17Player nameIwobi

Squad number37Player nameGarner

Squad number1Player namePickford

Squad number9Player nameCalvert-Lewin

Squad number11Player nameGray

Squad number16Player nameDoucouré

Squad number27Player nameGueye

Squad number8Player nameOnana

Squad number5Player nameKeane

Squad number4Player nameHolgate

Squad number20Player nameMaupay

Line-ups

Wolves

Formation 4-4-2

25Bentley

22Nélson Semedo4Collins15Dawson24Gomes

37Traoré8Neves35João Gomes10Podence

21Sarabia11Hwang Hee-chan

25Bentley22Nélson SemedoBooked at 51mins4Collins15DawsonBooked at 45mins24Gomes37TraoréBooked at 17minsSubstituted forMatheus Cunhaat 88'minutes8NevesBooked at 66minsSubstituted forTraoréat 88'minutes35João Gomes10PodenceSubstituted forDiego Costaat 70'minutes21SarabiaSubstituted forNunesat 70'minutesBooked at 90mins11Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forLeminaat 74'minutes

Substitutes

1Sá5Lemina6Traoré9Jiménez12Matheus Cunha23Kilman27Nunes29Diego Costa64Bueno

Everton

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Pickford

3Patterson13Mina2Tarkowski7McNeil

37Garner27Gueye

17Iwobi16Doucouré8Onana

9Calvert-Lewin

1Pickford3PattersonSubstituted forKeaneat 29'minutes13Mina2Tarkowski7McNeil37GarnerBooked at 90mins27GueyeSubstituted forHolgateat 82'minutes17Iwobi16Doucouré8OnanaSubstituted forMaupayat 82'minutes9Calvert-LewinSubstituted forGrayat 45+2'minutes

Substitutes

4Holgate5Keane11Gray15Begovic20Maupay31Lonergan46McAllister50Simms64WelchReferee:David CooteAttendance:31,684

Live Text

Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Everton 1.

Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Everton 1.

Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Everton 1. Yerry Mina (Everton) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Michael Keane.

Corner, Everton. Conceded by Craig Dawson.

Corner, Everton. Conceded by Nathan Collins.

Attempt blocked. Demarai Gray (Everton) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mason Holgate.

Diego Costa (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by James Tarkowski (Everton).

Attempt blocked. James Tarkowski (Everton) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Demarai Gray with a cross.

Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Foul by Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Yerry Mina (Everton) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Jordan Pickford.

Attempt saved. Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matheus Cunha.

Foul by Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Yerry Mina (Everton) wins a free kick on the right wing.

James Garner (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Matheus Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by James Garner (Everton).

Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Matheus Cunha replaces Adama Traoré.

_119786503_everything_you_need_to_know_banner.pngOur coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment_119786505_bbc_sport_yellow_footer.png

Source Link