FA Cup: Dazed Naismith is Everton’s hero
EVERTON 3 vs SWANSEA CITY 1
EVERTON boss Roberto Martinez praised striker Steven Naismith last night after the Scot’s FA Cup heroics were cut short by concussion.
Substitute Naismith scored the Toffees’ decisive second goal just four minutes after coming off the bench but could not remember it later after being caught by the arm of Swansea’s Jordi Amat.
Everton, who led through debutant Lacina Traore but were pegged back by Jonathan de Guzman’s header, finished the game with 10 men as Naismith was withdrawn before full time amid concerns over his head injury.
“He was okay and then all of a sudden he became dizzy and he couldn’t remember what was happening and we couldn’t take any risks,” said Martinez, whose men face Arsenal in the last eight.
“He said he didn’t remember he scored, so I told him he scored from 40 yards! He is a gem of a boy, an incredible footballer and I am just pleased he is enjoying his football.”
Towering striker Traore, who joined on a five-month loan from Monaco last month, took just four minutes to open his Everton account, languidly backheeling home from close range after Swansea failed to clear.
Ten minutes later Dutch midfielder De Guzman met Neil Taylor’s left-wing cross with a powerful header to equalise, and the home side were frustrated until Naismith’s breakthrough on 65 minutes.
He seized upon Taylor’s slack back-pass and slid his shot past goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmell before winning a penalty that England full-back Leighton Baines despatched 18 minutes from time to ensure progress.