As the old saying goes, “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” but there’s no doubting that Everton’s start to the pre-season won’t be topped.
The Toffees opened their slate of summer friendlies against lower-league Austrian side ATV Irdning with a resounding (understatement of the year) 22-0 victory.
No, that is not a typo. Everton legitimately scored 22 goals in a single game.
Four different players had at least three goals each, with Kevin Mirallas bagging five.
The score was so lopsided, even the Irdning goalkeeper couldn’t be bothered after a while.
This match had a very similar feel to Australia’s historic 31-0 win over American Samoa in a 2002 World Cup qualifier.
Teams usually open their pre-seasons against lower-league teams to regain match fitness, rebuild chemistry and boost morale. It’s safe to say Everton accomplished all of those tasks.
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