“We kept believing”
Dylan Nascimento came off the bench to settle a tight contest, giving Everton a 1-0 home win over league leaders Chelsea.
“We kept believing.” Dylan Nascimento’s late intervention gave Everton the reward their dogged afternoon demanded: a 1-0 win over Chelsea, the English Premier Division leaders, on Saturday.
The contest was still goalless when Nascimento came on in the 76th minute. Ten minutes later, he scored with a shot along the ground from close range, and Everton had the goal that separated them. The substitute was named player of the match; for a side that had managed only two shots on target, his finish was precious.
Chelsea had more of the ball, but not more shots on target. Both sides registered eight attempts and two on target, while Everton goalkeeper Evandro made three saves. The visitors’ possession brought no breakthrough. Everton, meanwhile, kept the game within reach and made their moment count.
It was a result with particular sting after Chelsea’s 5-2 league win over Everton in November. Chelsea had lost once in the league before this game; now they have a second defeat, and Everton have taken all three points from them.
For Everton, the victory makes three league games unbeaten since their last defeat. They sit seventh with 48 points from 32 games. Chelsea remain top, with 82 points from 30 games, but leave without adding to their tally.
Nascimento had started on the bench, with Evandro Ferreira taking his place. His entrance changed the day’s arithmetic: one goal, and the difference between a hard-fought draw and a result that will matter to a team trying to climb from the middle of the table. Rodrigo also stood out for Everton, while Evandro’s work in goal helped keep Chelsea at bay.
They did not overwhelm Chelsea, but they stayed in the contest and found a finish when it mattered. That is a more useful response than any grand claim about the scale of the task.
Chelsea have been champions for 41 consecutive seasons, a run still alive after last season’s title. Their defeat here does not end it; this was one league game, not a verdict on the campaign. But Everton can take satisfaction in making the leaders look human for an afternoon — and in the composure of a substitute who needed only one opening to decide it.