Lukaku double seals Toffees win

Posted Saturday, August 15, 2015 by fourfourtwo.com

Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Everton cruised to a 3-0 win over Southampton in their Premier League clash at St Mary's on Saturday.

Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Everton cruised to a 3-0 win over Southampton in their Premier League clash at St Mary's on Saturday.

Southampton 0 Everton 3

Injured Koeman returns to dugout

Lukaku nods Everton in front

Lukaku fires in a second

Barkley curls home late third

Match Summary

The Toffees frontman headed home the first before striking a fine second against a surprisingly tepid Saints side.

Ross Barkley then sealed the points late on with a superb curling finish as Roberto Martinez's bounced back from their disappointing opening-day home draw with Watford.

Full Report

Injured Saints boss Ronald Koeman was back in the dugout for the home side and they made a fast start as full-back Matt Targett tested Tim Howard from distance, before the Toffees stopper saved well with his feet to deny Sadio Mane at his near post.

The deadlock, however, was broken with 22 minutes on the clock when an excellent Everton counter-attack finished with Arouna Kone's fine cross from the right being powerfully headed home by the leaping Lukaku.

The Toffees then squandered a fantastic opportunity to double their advantage when Barkley sidefooted straight at Maarten Stekelenburg from just inside the box with not a Saints defender in sight.

Roberto Martinez's men did make it two though on the stroke of half-time when Barkley fed Lukaku on the edge of the box and the big striker's first-time effort beat Stekelenburg.

Koeman introduced Oriol Romeu at the break and the Saints new boy marked his debut with an early second-half booking after a strong challenge on James McCarthy.

Graziano Pelle struck a volley straight at Howard before heading over from a corner as the home side searched for a route back into the game.

But Everton sealed victory with six minutes to go when Barkley took a fine touch in the box before curling a superb effort around Stekelenburg and into the far corner.