Ndiaye double gives Everton perfect Goodison Park farewell | OneFootball

Iliman Ndiaye scored twice to ensure Everton’s final fixture at Goodison Park ended in victory against Southampton.

On an afternoon full of emotion on Merseyside, Ndiaye was the difference as Everton downed the relegated Saints in a fitting farewell to the old ground.

As it has been so often during Everton’s 133-year residence, Goodison Park was full of atmosphere and noise as the Toffees hosted a fixture at the venue for the final time before their move to Bramley-Moore Dock next season.

It took just six minutes for Ndiaye to increase the decibels of an already loud party. The Senegal midfielder has been a shining light for Everton this season and added another brilliant goal to his collection. He picked up the ball on the half-turn, drifted inside centrally and curled an unstoppable finish Aaron Ramsdale to delight the home crowd.

Everton were well worth their lead and Beto had a second disallowed after straying offside in the build-up. The one negative of the first half was Seamus Coleman’s withdrawal after just 18 minutes, with the long-serving captain withdrawn early on.

There were soon cheers once again, however, as Ndiaye doubled his tally for the afternoon just before the break. Dwight McNeil’s attempted shot dribbled through the Southampton defence, with Ndiaye quickest to react. The 25-year-old showed fabulous footwork to round Aaron Ramsdale and roll in his ninth goal of the Premier League campaign.

The second half passed with little incident. A tension-free clash saw Southampton pose little threat and Everton avoided the complacency of recent lead slips to take the points.

Next season will bring much change for Everton. In addition to their move to the state-of-the-art Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Toffees have more than a dozen first-team players, including loanee, leaving or out of contract.

It’s a major rebuild for David Moyes and a new era on and off the pitch. For now, the club can say farewell to Goodison Park on a positive note.

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