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The goalkeeper featured for Everton under-21s at the club’s new stadium.
Evertonians would have been taking in every detail. Eyes would have been circling and heads would have been turning both inside and out of the new stadium.
There was so much to take in for supporters on the banks of the River Mersey. There was a new route to acclimatise to, state-of-the-art concourses to get a feel for and a new 52,888-seat ground to be in awe of.
In truth, the game between Everton under-21s and Bolton Wanderers B was down the list of priorities for the second test event at Bramley-Moore Dock. The emphasis was on 25,000 fans experiencing the new facilities, along with assessing various operational aspects. The match ended after 65 minutes so a controlled evacuation could take place for the club to obtain a safety licence.
Kingsford Boakye bagged the only goal for the young Blues minutes before the final whistle. The striker is a name that may not be too familiar to those who were in attendance. He signed for Everton in January 2024, having previously been on the books of Italian giants AC Milan. Boakye, 20, has had injury problems since his arrival and has made only four appearances this campaign.
The Ghana-born forward is one of several youngsters who Everton have added to their academy ranks in recent years. Youngsters to arrive since last summer include Omari Benjamin (Arsenal), Braiden Graham (Linfield), William Tamen (Burton Albion), Justin Clarke (AFC Wimbledon) and Ceiran Loney (Partick Thistle).
And it might have gone unnoticed that Everton decided to run the rule over a triallist at their new stadium. With goalkeepers Fraser Barnsley and Žan-Luk Leban on international duty representing Northern Ireland under-21s and Slovenia under-21s respectively, the Blues took the chance to take a look at Abdulla Alhammadi.
The 19-year-old stopper hails from the United Arab Emirates and currently represents Al-Jazira Club. He managed to keep a clean sheet against a Bolton team that included seasoned Football League players Kyle Dempsey, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Ricardo Santos. Posting on Instagram after the game, Alhammadi said: “Grateful for every opportunity 🙏💙”
On the match, Everton under-21s head coach Paul Tait told the club’s website: "It was an unbelievable day. In the week leading up to the game, you couldn't get away from the fact it was going to be a great occasion for the players, their families, the staff and it turned out to be that. And to get the win at the end and be able to dominate such an experienced team was really pleasing.
"There were a few nerves early on but, once we settled down, we played really well and gave a good account of ourselves. It was a real squad effort, too, with the players coming on in the second half and making an impact. It's fantastic for Kingsford. He's been at the club for about 18 months but has had to deal with injuries. He's moved to a new country, settled in Liverpool and it's wonderful for him.”