Everton 2–0 Southampton: Ndiaye brace seals emotional farewell as Goodison Park bows out with a win | OneFootball

An historic day at Goodison Park ended in triumph for Everton, as Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half brace helped The Toffees seal a 2–0 victory over already-relegated Southampton in the final men’s fixture at their iconic stadium.

Goodison Park has seen it all across 133 years of football, and Sunday’s Premier League clash marked the end of an era. As Everton prepared for their move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, David Moyes’ side ensured their loyal supporters departed with one last victory to savour.

As it happened

The home side fed off the emotion inside the ground and started brightly. With just six minutes played, Ndiaye seized on a loose ball at the edge of the area before driving into the box and rifling a low shot into the bottom-left corner, sending Goodison into raptures.

Southampton, without a win since February, failed to offer much resistance. Beto twice had the ball in the back of the net before half-time, only to see both efforts ruled out for offside. However, Everton’s pressure eventually told again just before the break. After a sweeping move through midfield, Dwight McNeil’s ricocheted pass sent Ndiaye clean through, and the Senegalese forward showed great composure to round Aaron Ramsdale and slot in his ninth goal of the season.

The second half was less frantic but no less emotional. Everton controlled the tempo while Southampton’s late changes – including young striker Ross Stewart – did little to threaten Jordan Pickford’s goal. One scare came in the 84th minute when Cameron Archer and Will Smallbone both came close, but a combination of Jake O’Brien and the woodwork denied the visitors.

There were emotional farewells too. Seamus Coleman was forced off in the first half, potentially marking his final appearance in blue, while Abdoulaye Doucouré – out of contract this summer – received a rousing ovation when withdrawn in the second half. With icons such as Peter Reid and Tim Cahill watching from the side-lines, the day had the feel of a grand goodbye.

By full time, many fans were in tears. The final whistle blew to a chorus of “Z-Cars,” and Everton’s players joined their supporters in celebrating the end of a chapter, one that began in 1892 and concluded with a clean sheet, three points, and a striker in Ndiaye rising to the occasion.

The lineups

EVE: Pickford; Coleman, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; McNeil, Doucouré, Ndiaye; Beto.

SOU: Ramsdale; Stephens, Harwood-Bellis, Wood; Bree, Downes, Aribo, Welington; Fernandes, Dibling; Sulemana.