Football: Two-goal Sigurdsson turns from villain to hero for Everton

Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates scoring their third goal with team mates. PHOTO: REUTERS

LIVERPOOL, England (REUTERS) - Gylfi Sigurdsson was quickly transformed from villain into hero as he struck twice to inspire Everton to their customary home win, 3-0, against Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday (Sept 29).

The Icelander curled a superb 56th-minute effort four minutes after he had smashed a penalty against the bar following the award of a dubious spot kick for Denis Odoi's innocuous shove on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Sigurdsson, who had never before missed a penalty in the Premier League, quickly made amends before substitute Cenk Tosun, an effective replacement for Calvert-Lewin, headed home Theo Walcott's 66th-minute cross at the far post.

Following Everton's poor first-half performance with Ryan Sessegnon coming closest to breaking the deadlock for Fulham when he hit the bar, Sigurdsson side-footed the Toffees' third goal in the 89th minute, ensuring the Londoners did not get a sniff of their first-ever league win at Goodison.

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