Ramiro Funes Mori and Romelu Lukaku scored to give Everton a 2-1 lead after one leg of their League Cup semifinal against Manchester City at Goodison Park.
Jesus Navas scored the potentially-critical away goal for City, with the second leg coming up on Jan. 27.
Sadly for Everton, fans may be just as distraught about Lukaku limping off the field after scoring as they are excited about being 90 minutes from the League Cup final.
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Funes Mori was in the right spot to tap Everton into a 1-0 lead just before halftime, as Ross Barkley’s shot from outside the 18 was saved onto the doorstep by Wily Caballero.
Everton had a pair of first-half goals disallowed, but Funes Mori’s tap-in made sure the home side had a lead going into halftime.Ramiro Funes Mori puts @Everton ahead 1-0 at stroke of halftime. #CapitalOneCup https://t.co/6mG4de2W9C
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) January 6, 2016
City came close to finding an equalizer midway through the second half, as Sergio Aguero took a touch but leaned back while blasting a 10-yard shot over the bar.
But a picture-perfect counter attack allowed Man City to capture a vital away goal. Fernandinho made a long, gorgeous pass that Sergio Aguero squared for Navas to work past Joel Robles. 1-1 in the 71st minute.
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But Lukaku answered back moments later, heading a fantastic left-footed cross from Seamus Coleman past Caballero to make it 2-1.
Lukaku was injured on the play, and had to leave the game with a significant limp.