A second-half goal from Leighton Baines has earned Everton a 1-0 win over MFK Ruzomberok in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie.
The Toffees included four debutants in their starting lineup as Cuco Martina, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen and Wayne Rooney all made an appearance, but it was one of the old guard who netted the only goal of the game on Merseyside.
Midway through the second half, Baines's 30-yard deflected effort found the back of the net and it gives the Merseyside outfit a potentially-crucial advantage ahead of the second leg in Slovakia.
Read below to see how the action unfolded at Goodison Park.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Europa League third qualifying round between Everton and MFK Ruzomberok.
A new dawn at a football club is usually marked by a lucrative takeover and it has been no different in Everton's case. It led to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League table last season and with that brings European football - a stage they had not stepped onto since the spring of 2015. However, while their previous appearances in Europe have come with targets "as far as possible", the Merseyside giants will now believe that they have realistic ambitions of winning a trophy.
However, before they can start dreaming of an appearance in Lyon next May, Ronald Koeman and his side must first come through two ties in the qualifying rounds to earn a spot in the group stages. They are odds-on to do so but as we have already seen with Rangers, there isn't really any gimmes in European football. Ruzomberok will be happy having reached this stage of the tournament but that also means that they have nothing to lose on their trip to England.
Anyway, without further ado, let's take a look at the two teams. There are a couple of surprises in the Everton starting lineup...
EVERTON XI: Stekelenburg, Martina, Keane, Williams, Baines, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Klaassen, Rooney, Mirallas, Calvert-Lewin
EVERTON SUBSTITUTES: Pickford, Holgate, Jagielka, Barry, Davies, Lookman, Ramirez
While we are still waiting for the Ruzomberok side, let's take a look at the Toffees and as expected, Wayne Rooney will make his first Goodison Park appearance since returning to the club after over a decade at Manchester United. Cuco Martina, Michael Keane and Davy Klaassen will also be on show but rather surprisingly, Jordan Pickford and Sandro Ramirez are only named among the substitutes. Fresh from his winning goal in the Under-20 World Cup final, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is handed a start by Koeman, while Maarten Stekelenburg is between the sticks.
We are yet to get our hands on the Ruzomberok team so you are just going to have to be patient. Even at this stage of the year, it has been a busy period for the Slovakian outfit, who have been playing Europa League matches since the end of June and have already started their domestic campaign. However, they did lose out 2-1 so while they have done superbly in Europe, they don't exactly arrive in Liverpool full of confidence.
We will try to avoid a constant Rooney theme this evening, but we are effectively obliged to bring you some facts and figures on the 31-year-old. It was May 8, 2004 when he lasted wore the blue shirt of the Toffees in a competitive match at Goodison Park, while he has not netted for the his new club since April 13 of that year at Leeds United. His last Goodison Park strike came on March 13 in a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth. I'm sure Rooney will have dreamed of getting on the scoresheet this evening but being the team man that he is, he will take a win without conceding an away goal.
MFK RUZOMBEROK XI: Macik, J.Maslo, P.Maslo, Kruzliak, Kupec, Takac, Qose, Kochan, Daniel, Haskic, Gal Andrezly
Finally, some team news for Ruzomberok! We won't lie to you - we aren't exactly up on our Slovakian football but we are reliably informed that Nermin Haskic will be a handful for the Everton defence should the visitors apply any sort of pressure in the final third. Last season's top goalscorer has moved on to pastures new so he holds responsibility for being a nuisance for the likes of Keane and Williams.
We have already spoken about how they have come through two ties to reach this stage, with the teams they have overcome being FK Vojvodina and Brann. On both occasions, they have suffered a narrow defeat in the first leg before running out 2-0 victors in the reverse fixture. I'm not sure what that means as far as this tie is concerned, but don't be surprised if things are tight and don't count Ruzomberok out of this tie if they remain within a goal ahead of the game in Slovakia.
This is a good point made by the Everton Twitter team. Both Rooney and Klaassen have fond memories of this competition from last year, with Rooney's Manchester United beating Klaassen's Ajax in the final in May.
🤝 | @WayneRooney and @DavyKlaassen both start. Their last competitive games were on opposing sides in last season's @EuropaLeague final. pic.twitter.com/7vnejR3eE5 — Everton (@Everton) July 27, 2017
We cannot be seen to be showing any bias so let's have a quick ramble about fellow new signings and starters Martina and Keane. The club-record signing of Keane from Burnley obviously hit the back pages and he is rightly being tipped for a bright furuture at Everton, but the addition of Martina could be equally important. With Seamus Coleman out injured for the foreseeable future, Koeman needed an alternative to Mason Holgate and it's no real surprise that a player he has previously worked with at Southampton is drafted straight into the team.
PREDICTION! As expected, we are going to predict a home win but we do not necessarily think that Everton will have it all their own way. While they have three friendly games under their belt, Ruzomberok has played five competitive matches so they should be sharper on the fitness front. We think that it may help them to an away goal, but we think Everton will run out convincing 4-1 winners.
We are almost ready for the two teams to make their way out at Goodison Park. This reception for Rooney could be quite something.
What a roar from the Everton faithful. The ground is only partially full as well due to some work being done to one of the stands.
Everton and Rooney get us underway.
It's a case of possession football from Everton during these early stages. That's maybe with their fitness in mind. They don't want to make at a fast pace straight from the off. Ruzomberok are happy to sit back and defend.
Ronney's first surge forward is greeted with a roar from the fans and although his pass leads to the combination of Klaasen and Mirallas, the move eventually comes to nothing.
SHOT! An almighty slice of a clearance from the defender almost leads to the ball going over the goalkeeper's head, but despite his best efforts, the danger in and around the penalty area remains. The ball eventually falls to Gueye but his driven effort goes high and wide.
Everton look really good in these early stages. Their final ball is very hit and miss but the build-up play is very slick. If they remain patient, the goals should come.
After a free kick was harshly awarded against Keane, Ruzomberok had the chance to get the ball into the box but after playing it short, the delivery comes to nothing.
SHOT! Rooney's first shot in anger goes wide of the near post. He collected Baines's low cross before attempting a quick-fire strike, but it was always heading off target.
SHOT! Much more ambitious from Ruzomberok with Takac being given the opportunity to get a shot away from 25 yards but he drags his effort well off target. He should be doing better from there.
Everton are still playing some good football, but this probably isn't the right game for Rooney to be playing as a number nine. Klaassen is impressing in the number-20 position but that's because he is being found in space. The same can't be said for Rooney. I would expect to see Ramirez at some stage.
CHANCE! It's a sharp opening, but one all the same. Calvert-Lewin does superbly to win the ball on the byline but his pass to Rooney is a bit too fast and Rooney can only miscue a shot after controlling the ball and getting an effort away all in one movement.
CHANCE! This is beautiful football from Everton. Rooney starts the move and frees Klaassen, who plays a one-two with Calvert-Lewin before lashing a shot into the side-netting from an acute angle.
SHOT! Everton are starting to build a head of steam but they are still lacking that one clear-cut chance. On this occasion, Gueye tried his luck from 30 yards but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper.
SAVE! This is developing into a decent game now. Williams gives the ball away and Ruzomberok break in numbers. Daniel gets a well-struck shot on goal but it is tipped away from Stekelenburg. The longer this game stays goalless, the Slovakian side will fancy their chances of exploiting Everton's inferior fitness.
Everton are trying to up the tempo as we approach half time, but the end product is still not there. There are signs of frustration from the supporters, too. They need to stay with their side because they could do with an advantage ahead of the second leg.
HALF TIME: Everton 0-0 MFK Ruzomberok
After Calvert-Lewin sees a shot comfortably saved, the referee blows the half-time whistle. Everton have been the better side but there is something about this Ruzomberok outfit which will keep them honest at the back. They are certainly not playing like the underdogs which most people would have them to be. It's a big second half coming up.
Ruzomberok get us back underway.
It's been a competitive start to the second half, but not necessarily an entertaining one. Ruzomberok are growing in confidence, however, and Daniel should have perhaps done better with a shot on the turn from around 14 yards out.
CHANCE! Klaassen looks as though he is going to be a key man for Everton this season. He is the one who is trying to create some magic. After just failing to pick out Rooney, a cross comes back into the box and the Dutchman directs a header wide of the post from 12 yards.
SHOT! Everton are really pressing now. A Mirallas effort looks destined for the roof of the net but a defender gets across to head it clear.
WOODWORK! Wow. Everton should be behind. A free kick catches Everton out and Maslo sees a free header tipped onto the crossbar by Stekelenburg. There are about four players who are offside but the assistant missed it,
CHANCE! Back up the other end, Mirallas delivers a cross to the back post where Keane is waiting but his header is deflected just wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION! Everton's first change sees Sandro Ramirez introduced for Calvert-Lewin. It looks like Rooney is switching to the left flank.
GOAL! Everton 1-0 MFK Ruzomberok (Baines)
Everton take the lead! it's slightly fortuitous but the home side won't care. A corner was only half-cleared to Baines on the edge of the penalty area and his 30-yard strike was deflected into the net by Daniel. Relief at Goodison Park! The main thing now is to avoid conceding an away goal.
CHANCE! Everton are pushing for a second and I'm not sure who they haven't got one. Mirallas was found inside the penalty area but after taking a touch to set himself up, his driven effort from 14 yards was excellently tipped over the crossbar by Macik.
Ramirez is desperate to make an impact on his Everton debut but he is arguably a bit too eager. On two or three occasions, he has gone for a shot when he should have passed, but at least he is getting into the right areas.
I think Ruzomberok would have taken this scoreline had it been offered to them before kickoff but they still think that they can net an away goal before full time. You can certainly see why they have won two matches to reach this stage of the competition.
The visitors definitely aren't finished in this match. They are starting to get on the ball in the final third and get crosses into the penalty area. Everton need to be careful.
SUBSTITUTION! A second change for Everton, with Ademola Lookman being introduced for Mirallas.
CHANCE! Lacny should equalise for Ruzomberok! Maslo jumps highest from a free kick to head the ball down for his teammate, but his volley is weak and straight at Stekelenburg.
SUBSTITUTION! A final alteration for Everton sees Tom Davies replace Klaassen, who will probably pick up the man of the match award.
There will be three minutes of added-on time.
FULL TIME: Everton 1-0 MFK Ruzomberok
The full-time whistle goes at Goodison Park and Everton have held on to secure a potentially-crucial 1-0 win over MFK Ruzomberok. They would have preferred to score more than just the one goal, but keeping a clean sheet is arguably equally as important ahead of the return fixture in seven days' time.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye for now.
