Dining with the Big Boys Makes Everton’s Roberto Martinez Hungrier

Fellaini controls the ball and wards off PepePhoto: Ali Gilmore

Fellaini controls the ball to his keeper Tim Howard and wards off Real Madrid’s Pepe
Photo: Ali Gilmore

Everton 1 : 2 Real Madrid

by Steve Clare at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles

Both sides came into this match full of confidence. They had won their opening match of the tournament.

Everton had triumphed fairly memorably on penalties over Juventus in San Francisco and Madrid had triumphed easily, 3-1 over the LA Galaxy. That class was to be in evidence again in front of over 40,000 people at the Dodgers Stadium, perched on a hill above the urban car park that is the Los Angeles freeway system.

The classy Spaniards led 2-0 at the interval courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil. Firstly Ronaldo finished coolly when one on one with Tim Howard.

Everton thereafter chased but caught no rabbits. To be fair to the men in blue, Sylvain Distin had what seemed like a legitimate goal harshly ruled out by referee Baldomero Toldeo. Marouane Fellaini also hit the post with a header off a Leighton Baines free kick, but most of the quality was Madridista and especially Cristiano Ronaldo’s.

Shortly after the goalpost foiled Fellaini and the ruled out goal, insult was rubbed into the wounds of injury with Madrid’s second.

Cristiano Ronaldo in action at Dodgers Stadium
Photo: Ali Gilmore

Luka Modric fed Ronaldo who had opened the scoring. The Portuguese winger found German international Mesut Ozil for a tapped in second.

It was one way traffic and Toffees’ head coach Roberto Martinez manned up and admitted his side had been a little in awe of the Spaniards.

“When you play Real Madrid, you need to be able not to lose what you’re good at. Sometimes you are a little bit star struck on the pitch.”

Ronaldo’s opener had come just after the quarter hour and the addition just after the half hour.

It was beginning to look like a long and potentially embarrassing night for Everton but their pride and fighting spirit was augmented by Carlo Ancelotti’s side’s willingness to take their foot off the pedal.

Despite Nikica Jelavic’s quality equaliser, Everton were unable to overcome a first half deficit but they did leave the field with their dignity in tact, as they prepare to head east after their two game visit to the West Coast.

The Dodgers Stadium is a quite beautiful venue and the first half performance by the Spanish champions did it justice. Everton seemed a little overwhelmed at times perhaps struggling to cope with the increased quality which Real produced vis a vis Wednesday’s opponent’s Juventus.

Toffees head coach Roberto Martinez was upbeat though about seeing his new side rub shoulders with the biggest boys in the European playground, even 2/3 of the way through:

“It was fantastic, playing with Real Madrid and Juventus.

It’s an incredible way of testing yourself with the best. If anything it’s given us a little more appetite to have games against these sorts of sides in (competitive) qualification.

Qualification is our long term ambition. Against Juventus the way we competed, the way we competed in the second half against Real Madrid. We are a work in process but is has given us a really good taste of what our dream would be like.”

Everton now head to Miami where they will meet either Valencia or Inter Milan who meet in New Jersey on Sunday.

EVERTON: (4-2-3-1) Howard, Coleman (Stones, 84) Distin, Jagielka (Capt), Heitnga (Gibson, 68) Baines, Osman, Fellaini (Barkley, 68), Naismith, Kone (Jelavic, 45), Mirallas (Deulofeu, 84).

Subs not used: Robles, Oviedo, Anichebe, Vellios.

Bookings:

Goals: Jelavic (62)

REAL MADRID: Casillas (Capt) (Fernandez, 45), Arbeloa (Carvajal, 45), Ramos (Coentrao, 45), Laveran (Lopez, 45), Marcelo, Khedira, Benzema (Kaka, 70), Modric (Di Maria, 45), Ozil (Cherishchev, 86), Isco (Casemiro, 45), Ronaldo (Rodriguez, 60).

Subs not used: Casado, Mateos, Illaramendi, Meijas, Leite, Varane.

Bookings:

Goals: Ronaldo (18) Ozil (32)

Ref: Baldomero Toledo

Roberto Martinez: The human qualities the players have make them special ambassadors for Everton.