Lukaku brace inspires Everton comeback against West Brom

Toffees come from two goals down to win 3-2.

WEST BROMWICH: Romelu Lukaku’s brace inspired a remarkable fightback as Everton recovered from two goals down to win 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion on Monday.

Roberto Martinez’s side looked destined for a defeat when Craig Dawson added to Saido Berahino’s first half opener to put Albion 2-0 up with 54 minutes gone at the Hawthorns.

But Belgium forward Lukaku gave Everton a crucial lifeline when he netted a minute later and Ivory Coast striker Aruna Kone equalised in the closing stages before Lukaku bagged the winner with only six minutes left.

Lukaku’s first Premier League goals for six weeks came against the club he played for on loan in the 2012-13 campaign and lifted Everton to fifth in the table following their third league win of the season.

“We were very disappointed with the first half. We were off, every single individual,” said Martinez. “The mountain we had to climb, it would have been easy to lose focus but we got three goals against the best defensive structure in the Premier League.”

It was the perfect preparation for Everton’s Merseyside derby date with Liverpool on Sunday, while Albion’s third league defeat of the season left Tony Pulis’s team languishing in 15th place. “The first goal kills us. We should deal with it,” said Pulis. “The other two goals are poor goals, the second one looks offside. We switched off and Everton will punish you.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2015.

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