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Hull City at Everton: Matchday Commentary

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Good afternoon (morning in the USA), I'm coming to you from sunny and chilly Goodison Park, where Hull City is facing Everton (11am, FSC/FSE).

It might seem like an ordinary match for most EPL spectators, but for Americans it's a big tilt as Tim Howard, Landon Donovan and Jozy Altidore are all expected to play parts in today's match. Also, U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley is in the house to watch the proceedings.

I will be providing some live commentary from Goodison so be sure to turn on Fox Soccer Channel to watch the game and stay with us at SBI to share your thoughts on the match.

Enjoy the action.

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FINAL– Here is David Moyes on Donovan:

"I said to him, 'You go on and finish with a goal no," Moyes said. "It's a cruel world. I said to him coming off "That doesn't make up for the one you missed at Tottenham last week." (Moyes said that with a smile).

"I thought he finished it great. I thought when he came on he was good, and he's only just not started because he's just dropped a little bit, but the efforts he's put in for us over the last two months have been terrific."

"I hope it's not his last game (at Goodison). He's certainly here for the game next week against Birmingham. I might try and see if I can extend it a little bit longer, but at the moment the word from America is that it won't be possible, and I respect that if that's their decision."

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FINAL– Donovan after the match sounded like he hadn't given up on his Everton loan being extended.

"There is a chance" Donovan said of an extension happening. "We'll know more this week."

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FINAL– Donovan just did a farewell lap around the stadium, clapping for all the fans and waving goodbye. USA-USA-USA was the chant again. He's coming home, much to the chagrin of Everton's fans (and most USA fans). 

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FINAL– Everton 5, Hull 0. Donovan with a goal and assist as a sub for the Toffees, who demolished Jozy ALtidore's Hull. Thanks for following along. Be sure to check out FoxSoccer.com's coverage of the weekend action in Europe, as well as my stories from this trip. And as always, be sure to check out SBI.

Share your thoughts on today's match in the comments section below.

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90th minute– This one's over. Great match for Everton.

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87th minute– Everton fans break out in the "Sign Him Up" Chant again. Fills the stadium.

Did I mention that after Donovan's goal the entire stadium start chanting USA? You would have thought this was a USA home World Cup qualifier.

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86th minute– Dan Gossling in for Pienaar.

GOAL EVERTON!!!!! And Donovan PLAYS PROVIDER!!!! Assists on Jack Rodwell finish. Beauty.

Everton 5, Hull 1.

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84th minute– Donovan might have priced himself out of Everton's range with this loan stint.

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83rd minute– Everton fans are now chanting, "Sign Him Up, Sign Him Up, Sign Him Up"

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82nd minute– GOAL DONOVAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the crowd starts chanting USA-USA-USA. Great finish for the American. The fans here love him. Everton 4, Hull City 1.

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80th minute– Lots of physical play today, at least there haven't been any dirty stuff.

Random sighting, Manchester United defender John O'Shea was in the house.

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78th minute– Poor Yakubu, started the match so well, now his own fans are cursing him.

Altidore is moving well, too bad he's on a team that looks hopeless today.

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76th minute– Altidore tracks back well to intercept a ball, but Hull can't do much with it.

Fans are begging for Yakubu to come out.

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74th minute– Donovan with a great ball in, but Yakubu blasts it into the stands. A reporter here just said of Yakubu, "Put him out of his misery."

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73rd minute– Everton is now in a 4-5-1 with Donovan on the right flank.

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71st minute-Faint chant of USA broke out when he came in. Fans here really do like him. We'll see if this winds up being his last home match for Everton. 

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70th minute– Donovan is coming in for Anichebe and he just got a great round of applause for coming in (It wasn't for Anichebe).

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69th minute– J-VOH (Hesselink) is coming in for Hull, out comes Zaki, who was pretty useless today.

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68th minute– Donovan is about to come into the match.

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67th minute– Altidore's first touch is clean as he helps start a Hull counter.

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65th minute– Landon Donovan is warming up again, he should be coming in soon.

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63rd minute– Apologies for the delay in coming back. The internet connection was out. It's 3-1 Everton thanks to a Hull own goal caused by a great Mikel ARteta chip over Myhill. Altidore is now in and playing as a second striker with Zaki.

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62nd minute– Jozy Altidore is on for Jimmy Bullard. PA announcers call him JOSE Altidore.

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HALFTIME– Everton 2, Hull 1.

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45th minute– Pienaar is back on the field.

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45th minute– Pienaar is down, took a knee to the thigh. Donovan is the first to start warming up.

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45th minute– Jack Rodwell is coming on for Leon Osman, must be an injury issue there. It is, looks like a groin injury.

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43rd minute– Can't help but wonder where Everton would be in the standings if Arteta and Jagielka were healthy all season.

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41st Minute– Yakubu squanders a great chance with a poor touch. He's back to the bad Yakubu now, hasn't looked good the past 15-20 minutes.

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39th minute- GOAL EVERTON. It's ARteta on a BEAUTIFUL Goal. Anichebe crosses in to Pienaar, who back-heels to a wide-open ARteta for the finish. Everton 2, Hull 1. Wow, great goal.

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37th minute– Not sure about Phil Brown's decision to play Amr Zaki alone up top, with Jan Venegoor and Altidore on the bench.

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32nd minute- GOAL HULL. Beautiful finish from Tom Cairney. Not much Howard could do there. An 18-yard-blast running away from him. We're tied up. Great match.

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31st minute– Wasn't sure about that PK call. The tackle was foul-worthy, but the ball was running out of play already.

Everton has been in complete control. Could that PK save turn the tide?

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29th minute- SAVE MYHILL!!! Wow, nice save, not a great PK by Yakubu.

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28th minute– PENALTY. Everton's Yakubu draws one..

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26th Minute– Landon Donovan is warming up on the sidelines, at least he was. Just keeping warm on a cold day. Now Jozy Altidore is doing the same.

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19th Minute– Yakubu's playing well today, when he wants to play he can be dangerous.

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17th Minute– GOAL EVERTON, and it's Mikel Arteta with a great volley finish off a beautiful long pass from Yakubu.

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17th Minute– Almost forgot that today we've got the match-up of the American-born goalkeepers. California-born Boaz Myhill is in net for Hull (and if you don't already know, he's capped for Wales).

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14th Minute– Can't argue with this lineup early on. Looking good against a shaky Hull defense.

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13th Minute– Yakubu OFF THE RIGHT POST. Everton crowd just swore it was going in.

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13th Minute– Those wondering if we'll see Altidore today will probably get to see him. A Hull official here mentioned that Amr Zaki's not 90 minutes fit so Altidore should be in come the second half.

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10th Minute– Arteta with a great surging run through midfield, has his initial pass deflected pass to him before firing a shot just wide. The Spaniard looks to be fully recovered from his injuries.

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8th Minute– Interesting decision by David Moyes to start Anichebe and Yakubu together and leave Donovan on the bench. Can't argue with his moves. He's one of the sharpest managers in the league. You also wonder if Donovan is still battling the flu.

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8th Minute– SAVE HOWARD. The U.S. keeper thwarts a Hull attack sparked by a well-timed long pass.

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5th Minute– Hull City's Nick Barmby is getting booed during every touch for being a former Everton player who then moved to Liverpool. Long memories on Merseyside.

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3rd Minute– Nice contrast in bench attire. David Moyes in warm-ups and sneakers, Phil Brown in his usual all-black club outfit.

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1st Minute– And we're underway.

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PRE-GAME– Close to kicking off here. Jimmy Bullard is in the lineup for Hull. Hull's got a nice collection of fans here.

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PRE-GAME– Here we go folks. SBI's first European live commentary. No Jozy Altidore or Landon Donovan in the starting lineup, but Tim Howard is in goal for Everton and just got a great applause.

Bob Bradley is seated close to the field, no sign of Fabio Capello.

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Comments

  1. I think they definitely look at Americans with a degree of skepticism. No doubt. Put yourself in thier position and you would think twice about playing an american over someone else. If the american fails everyone will second guess you….

    Reply
  2. It is a sweet, sweet thing to read about a US player generating that kind of adoration from a British crowd. I would absolutely love to see him stay.

    Reply

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