Beto salvages late draw for Everton against Fulham

Substitute Beto netted a dramatic equaliser deep in stoppage time to salvage a draw for Everton against Fulham, extending their unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Sean Dyche’s side looked to be heading for defeat following a lacklustre performance, but Portuguese striker Beto turned home Ashley Young’s cutback in the 94th minute to ensure the Toffees stretched their run without defeat to five games.

It looked like Alex Iwobi was returning to haunt his old side when he fired home the opening goal on the hour mark following a fine run by Emile Smith Rowe, but the Cottagers could not hold on.

Marco Silva’s men were on top in the early stages and came close to breaking the deadlock with chances in quick succession – Adama Traore’s drive from an angle was pushed away by Jordan Pickford before Smith Rowe hooked over from close range.

Everton had been timid in the exchanges but could have gone in front out of nowhere after midfielder Idrissa Gueye – on his 200th Premier League appearance – rattled the crossbar with a rasping shot and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s follow-up was ruled out for offside.

The Blues were disjointed for large periods of the game but plugged away until the end – and Beto picked the perfect time to celebrate his first league goal of the campaign.

The atmosphere from the home supporters was flat for 93 minutes and that seemed to seep on to the pitch, with the Everton players failing to get going until stoppage time.

Beto was sent on in place of Calvert-Lewin on 81 minutes and the 26-year-old came up trumps, gambling on Young’s pass to convert from close range and ignite a roar of delight from the Blues faithful.

The former Udinese striker wheeled away to celebrate and looked emotional afterwards, hiding his face in his top after getting off the mark in the top flight this season.

After a poor start to the campaign Everton are showing signs of form and moved up to 15th in the table, though will drop a place if West Ham avoid defeat against Manchester United on Sunday (14:00 GMT).

Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno had a comfortable game, dealing with headers from Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil, while he also kept out an effort from Jesper Lindstrom.

Gueye’s speculative strike was inches away from finding the roof of the net, but the home side did not give up and head to winless Southampton next weekend in good form.

Saturday’s Premier League games featured a flurry of late goals and Fulham were on the receiving end of one here.

Heading into the game the Cottagers had suffered back-to-back defeats, and though they went home with a point, it will feel like another loss having been the better side for much of the contest.

It was not a classic by any means, often turgid and fragmented, but Iwobi provided some inspiration with his second league goal this season.

The 28-year-old spent four years at Everton and had that in mind after his goal, with a low-key celebration as he ran towards the visiting fans in their corner of Goodison Park.

Iwobi’s opener made amends for a poor miss at the end of the first half when he fired over from six yards, while striker Raul Jimenez looped an effort straight at keeper Pickford early in the game.

Those missed opportunities proved costly as Fulham showcased their inability to hold on to a lead and kill off the opposition, having now dropped 10 points from winning positions this season.