Everton march towards Europe as Uefa probe crowd trouble

Everton beat Hadjuk Split 2-0 in their Europa League play-off at Goodison Park yesterday but the match was overshadowed by crowd trouble. Uefa have launched an investigation into violence in the away end.

"Trouble flared in the first half… with missiles being thrown and advertising boards being kicked over as supporters surged towards the pitch," reports The Independent.

"As stewards and police moved to try to bring the situation under control, the players were instructed to leave the field by Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak and the game was halted for several minutes."

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The incident began soon after Michael Keane had headed the home side into the lead.

The goal was "the cue for an old-school disturbance from the travelling fans packed into a corner of the Bullens Road stand, rising as one to hurl objects into the adjacent Park End and attempt to break out of their enclosure," says The Guardian.

A ball boy was caught up in the melee, reports the Daily Telegraph, but "quick-thinking stewards" hauled him out of danger "moments before the advertising hoarding collapsed onto the pitch".

After the game resumed Idrissa Gueye doubled Everton's lead on the stroke of half time after Wayne Rooney had a goal ruled out for offside.

Manager Ronald Koeman was frustrated that the Toffees couldn't add to their tally in the second half, but the comfortable win should be enough to see them into the group stages.

"Hajduk's boisterous supporters proved to be more troublesome than their players and Everton ought to be able to claim a place in the Europa League proper from here, even if they really should have won by a more convincing margin," says The Guardian.

But it bodes well for the coming season, says The Times. "All summer Everton have been keen to project an ambitious, new image with an array of expensive signings arriving at Goodison Park. Now, with rather more certainty, they can claim to be going places."