Last gasp Everton Under 21s through to semi final

In the 50th minute, Watford were right back in it as the Blues struggled to clear their area following an attack down the right. A shot went in at the near post though a crowded area to make it all square at 2-2.

Graham continued to look lively and a snapshot from 40 yards kept the goalkeeper awake but it drifted wide.

The game went into extra time and the Blues pressed against the tiring Hornets and looked most likely to snatch it. The raft of substitutions made by Paul Tait had breathed fresh life into his side.

Graham (twice), Davis and Omari Benjamin all went close before, just as it looked like penalties, the Blues snatched a goal at the very death and what a goal!!

A swift attack saw the ball land at the feet of substitute Kingsford Boakye and his cross was met with a text-book diving header from, who else, Braiden Graham (see below):

Braiden Graham's 120th-minute winner for #EFCU21! 💥 pic.twitter.com/a8nl9Wh3HG

— Everton Academy (@EvertonAcademy) April 24, 2026

That was Braiden Graham’s 20th goal of the season or to put it another way, a third of all Under 21s goals scored this season or ….. to put it another way …. just what has he got to do to convince David Moyes just to give him a small chance, off the bench or whatever? It’s actually Graham’s 24th of the season as he scored 4 in the Youth Cup though that’s an U18 competition really.

Meanwhile, last weekend had seen the younger group, the U18s grab a nice 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Finch Farm. Some relentless pressure paying dividends with Malik Olayiwola scoring the first from left-back Harvey Billington’s fine cutback.

Olayiwola was in the thick of it for the second as his pressure released Ceiran Loney to the left of the penalty area. His cross was met by the inrushing Shea Pita to make it 2-0.

Wolves did pull one back as a shot from the edge of the area was too hot to handle for Blues’ ‘keeper Seve Patrick, 2-1 is how it ended. The goals are below:

Three points at Finch Farm! 🤩

Watch highlights from Saturday’s 2-1 victory for our Under-18s. ⬇️⏯️ pic.twitter.com/jbCG1p8nDQ

— Everton Academy (@EvertonAcademy) April 20, 2026

One more for the fine goals collection was from a game involving Everton Under 16s in a competition in Greece. Jonathan Nsangou scored right from the halfway-line!

LONG-RANGE STUNNER! 🤯

Everton Academy forward Jonathan Nsangou scored this spectacular halfway-line goal for our Under-16s at the Cup of Rhodes Knights in Greece. 👏 pic.twitter.com/WNshEXzEiX

— Everton Academy (@EvertonAcademy) April 21, 2026

Next up for the U18s is a short trip to Blackburn Rovers on April 28th while the U21s will play a semi final soon in the Play Off trophy.