Everton player ratings: 19y/o gets 8/10 but striker wasteful in Stade Nyonnais victory

Everton opened their pre-season friendly campaign with a 2-1 victory over Stade Nyonnais.

Second-half goals from youngster Katia Kouyate and Neal Maupay ensured Sean Dyche’s side’s five-day training camp in the Alps culminated in a triumph over the Swiss side.

Overall, it proved a good workout for Sean Dyche’s side, with the game primarily about fitness.

Everton started on the front foot and Maupay should have done better in the second minute when he scuffed a shot wide.

Then seven minutes later, Tom Cannon spurned a gilt-edged chance when he was slipped in by Nathan Patterson but dragged wide.

The Toffees continued on the front foot but couldn’t find a breakthrough. Dwight McNeil twice showed excellent footwork inside the opposition box but couldn’t apply the finish on both occasions before Cannon sent an effort over the bar on the stroke of half-time.

Dyche’s side were indebted to goalkeeper Joao Virginia just seconds after the interval when he was off his line alertly to thwart the danger.

Then Everton got back on the front foot and finally broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute. Alex Iwobi showed excellent vision to thread a pass into substitute Kouyate, who took one touch before the 19-year-old rifled into the top corner.

Nine minutes later, another substitute aiming to catch the eye of Dyche did so. It was again Iwobi who engineered the chance as he slipped in Francis Okoronkwo, who was brought down inside the box and won the Blues a penalty. Maupay stepped up and nonchalantly sent his spot-kick down the middle.

Nyon did net a consolation goal through Dylan Dugourd in the 81st minute but Everton did enough to hold on.

Here’s how we rated the Everton players.