Raphinha scored his first goal for Leeds with a fierce 25-meter strike to help beat Everton 1-0 in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The Brazilian winger collected a pass from Jack Harrison, got the ball onto his favored left foot and drilled a low shot through Everton defender Ben Godfrey’s legs and into the bottom corner in the 79th minute.
In an end-to-end contest at Goodison Park, Harrison struck the post with a header and also had a shot cleared off the line by Godfrey.
Leeds United's Raphinha, center, celebrates after scoring the oepening goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Leeds United, at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Saturday Nov. 28, 2020. (Peter PowellPool Via AP)
Everton had two goals disallowed in the first half, the first by James Rodriguez for a narrow offside and then by Richarlison after Godfrey was adjudged to have been standing in the way of Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier when the winger’s header went in.
Everton has won just one of its last six games in the league after starting with four straight wins.
Leeds is in 11th place in its first season in the top-flight in 16 years and remains inconsistent, with 4-1 losses against Leicester and Crystal Palace followed by clean sheets against Arsenal — in a 0-0 — and Everton.
Leeds United's Raphinha shoots and scores the opening goal of the gameduring the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Leeds United, at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Saturday Nov. 28, 2020. (Clive BrunskillPool Via AP)
The match was preceded with a tribute to Diego Maradona following the Argentina great's death this week at the age of 60.
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti struggled to hold his emotions together during moments of silence before kickoff. Ancelotti played against Maradona during their time in Serie A and later went on to coach Napoli, the Italian club that Maradona led to its only two Serie A titles, in 1987 and 1990.
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Leeds United's head coach Marcelo Bielsa, right, and Everton's manager Carlo Ancelotti watch their teams play from the side lines during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Leeds United, at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Saturday Nov. 28, 2020. (Peter PowellPool Via AP)