Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye went off injured for Senegal against Malawi
Everton have been handed an injury scare ahead of their return to Premier League action at Ipswich Town in a week’s time after Iliman Ndiaye hobbled out of action on international duty on Friday evening. Ndiaye, who joined the Blues for £16.9million from Olympique Marseille in July, has proven to be one of their most-exciting transfer recruits of the summer.
In his latest ECHO column, Michael Ball urged Everton to get the ball to the 24-year-old attacker more often “because he’s the magic man, the match-winner, the one who is going to make things happen for us.”
Meanwhile, following Ndiaye’s first Premier League goal at Leicester City last month, Blues boss Sean Dyche hailed his “great touch and finish.”
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Therefore, the sight of the former Sheffield United player gingerly walking off the field alongside the physio to be replaced by Boulaye Dia in the 4-0 victory over Malawi in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade in Dakar’s Diamniadio district is going to leave Finch Farm staff sweating on his fitness in preparation for their trip to Portman Road in just seven days’ time.
Before going off, Ndiaye had already set up Pape Gueye for the opening goal, rolling the ball from the left just outside the area for the Villarreal player to smash into the roof of the net.
As Ndiaye left the action, his Everton team-mate Idrissa Gueye came on as part of a double substitution, replacing Lamine Camara.
Former Liverpool player Sadio Mane doubled the hosts’ lead three minutes later before further goals from Boulaye Dia (71) and Nicolas Jackson (77), latching on to Blues man Gueye’s pass, sealed a comfortable win for the Lions of Teranga.