Simms strikes late as Everton score valuable draw at Chelsea | football news

London: Ellis simms grabbed a final equalizer as he struggled everton intensified their fight for First League Survive with a dramatic 2-2 draw against Chelsea on Saturday.
Sean DychThe DFB side were moments from a devastating defeat until Simms scored his first goal for the club to silence Stamford Bridge.
Everton’s defiance was shown after they twice fell behind in west London.

Joao Felix put Chelsea ahead early in the second half with his second goal since joining from Atletico Madrid in January.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s equalizer was followed by Kai Havertz’s third goal in his last three appearances as a German converted penalty.
Simms was loaned to Championship club Sunderland earlier this season but the 22-year-old showed he could be Everton’s savior in the relegation battle with his crucial leveler.

Everton are now two points clear of the relegation zone after extending their unbeaten run to three games.
“We threw in Ellis against Liverpool and he struggled a bit but he’s maturing. He has pace and power and it was a nice finish,” said Dyche.
“There’s been a lot of talk about the lack of strikers here, but I’ve been saying all along that it’s a team mentality. There’s certainly talent. We’re creating a base to work from.”

It was a bitter pill for Chelsea as Graham Potter’s side missed a chance to claim a fourth straight win in all competitions.
“We thought we played well enough to get the three points, but ultimately if you don’t defend well you don’t get the result,” Potter said.
“We lost duels in the penalty area and if you lose duels there is danger. We have to do better.”

The match was marred by homophobic chants from Everton fans who heard ‘Chelsea Rent Boy’ chanted.
In January it was revealed that clubs could be charged by the Football Association if their fans sang the attacking song.
British prosecutors last year defined the term as a hate crime.
That was an ugly side of a memorable game that started with Chelsea Mateo Kovacic Volley just wide of the edge of the penalty area.

Hampered all season by a lack of cutting edge, Chelsea had netted more than once in just two games in all competitions in 2023.
Three goals at Leicester in their previous game had reinforced Potter’s ability to solve Chelsea’s attacking problems.
There was undoubtedly more liveliness at Chelsea and Felix rewarded their territorial dominance in the 52nd minute.
When Ben Chilwell’s cross was deflected just inside the Everton area towards Felix, the Portuguese star capitalized on his chance with a low shot that defeated Jordan Pickford and shot into the net at the far post.

Felix’s first goal in seven games was soon followed by an equalizer for Everton Michael Keane Header from Demarai Gray’s free kick.
It was a warning Chelsea ignored as Everton equalized in the 69th minute.
Everton conjured a goal straight out of the Dyche playbook, scoring from a corner from Dwight McNeil when Ben Godfrey flicked on and Doucoure nodded home from close range before Havertz could clear the line.
Chelsea were back in front seven minutes later ReeceJames‘ run was halted by Godfrey’s trip and an equally clumsy challenge from James Tarkowski in the area.

Havertz recently scored a crucial penalty in the Champions League round of 16 win over Borussia Dortmund and coolly sent Pickford in the wrong direction for his ninth goal of the season.
But there was a snag in the story in the 89th minute when Doucoure selected Simms’ jab into the Chelsea area.
The forward shrugged off Kalidou Koulibaly’s feeble challenge and hit a low shot that went under Kepa Arrizabalaga to save a point in breathtaking fashion.