Rotherham United bowed out of the Emirates FA Cup with their heads held high, after pushing Premier League outfit Everton all the way at Goodison Park.
Matt Olosunde forced extra-time with his first ever career goal 11 minutes into the second half, cancelling out Cenk Tosun’s ninth minute opener.
The Millers had chances to win it during an excellent display against the Premier League outfit, but fell behind again two minutes into extra time, after substitute Abdoulaye Doucoure netted the winner.
The top-flight side started strongly and took a deserved lead inside the opening 10 minutes, when Cenk Tosun raced on to Anthony Gordon’s pass to dink the ball over Jamal Blackman.
The Millers responded well to going behind and went close to an equaliser on 21 minutes, after Matt Crooks slipped in Michael Smith, who fired his first-time effort just over the bar.
Paul Warne’s side peppered the Toffee’s goal four minutes later. After a great run, Olosunde stung the palms of Robin Olsen, before Dan Barlaser forced another flying save from the Swedish stopper.
Half-time | Everton 1 v 0 Millers
Alex Iwobi fired just wide after the break for the home side, but the second half continued in the same vein as the first, with the Millers taking the game to their top-flight opponents.
And they got their reward on 56 minutes when Matt Olosunde turned on a six pence and squeezed a low effort into the bottom corner to restore parity and net his first ever senior goal In the process.
Having just scored, the American drove forward down the right once again and found his opposite wing-back Wes Harding who fired over the bar.
Tosun thought he had added his second with just four minutes to play when he nipped in to convert James Rodriguez’s free-kick past Blackman, but the goal was ruled out for offside by VAR, a decision which saw the game go to extra-time.
Full-time (after normal time) | Everton 1 v 1 Millers
The home side retook the lead three minutes into the extra period, when Rodriguez threaded a delicate pass through to the onrushing Doucoure and the substitute calmly tucked the ball home.
Bernard and Coleman then went close to wrapping up the tie for the home side. Firstly, the Brazilian saw his low effort cannon off the crossbar, before Coleman stung the palms of Blackman with a fierce drive.
The Millers rallied and had one final push at their illustrious opponents. Kyle Vassell twice seeing efforts blocked by blue shirts, before the clock ran down on a monumental effort from Paul Warne’s men.
Full-time | Everton 2 v 1 Millers
Everton: Robin Olsen; Seamus Coleman, Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane, Lucas Digne (Yerry Mina 66); Tom Davies (Gylfi Sigurdsson 66), Andres Gomes; Alex Iwobi (Abdoulaye Doucoure 61), James Rodriguez (Niels Nkounkou 95), Anthony Gordon (Bernard 61); Cenk Tosun.
Unused: Jonas Lossl, Mason Holgate, Jarrad Branthwaite, Ellis Simms.
Millers: Jamal Blackman; Michael Ihiekwe, Richard Wood, Angus MacDonald; Matt Olosunde (Billy Jones start of extra time), Dan Barlaser, Jamie Lindsay (Florian Jozefzoon 76), Ben Wiles, Wes Harding (Trevor Clarke 83); Matt Crooks (Kyle Vassell 67); Michael Smith (George Hirst 76). Subs not u
Unused: Viktor Johansson, Josh Vickers, Curtis Tilt, Mickel Miller.