Jelavic strike helps Everton set up all-Merseyside semi-final

Striker Nikica Jelavic helped to book Everton an FA Cup semi-final date at Wembley with arch-rivals Liverpool as Sunderland’s dreams turned to dust last night.

The Croatia international fired the visitors ahead in their quarter-final replay after 24 minutes, but then passed up a series of opportunities to add to his tally on a night when the men from Merseyside were more than a match for their hosts.

It took a 56th-minute own goal from Black Cats substitute David Vaughan to ease David Moyes’ men further clear, and although the Wearsiders battled all the way to the whistle in front of a boisterous crowd of 43,140, there was no way back.

Everton simply had too much for their hosts with Marouane Fellaini, Leon Osman and Magaye Gueye outstanding in the middle of the field as they set up a chance to gain revenge for their derby defeat earlier this month.

Everton star Tim Cahill was delighted with the victory.

He said: “Regardless of Liverpool I think it was all about us today. The manager knows what we’re capable of and it’s about time we did something like this, and hopefully we’re going to move forward.”

Cahill hailed the impact of Jelavic, adding: “He’s changed a lot of our games — he’s someone who can hold the ball up and score goals. It helps a hell of a lot.”

Captain Phil Neville also singled out Jelavic for praise, saying: “We’ve struggled to score goals this season but he’s sticking them in the back of the net for us.

“I thought it was a fantastic performance. When you come to an away ground you want to play with no fear and I think we did that tonight.

“The boys were fantastic with the work ethic they put in.”

SUNDERLAND: Mignolet, Bardsley, Kyrgiakos (Vaughan 53), Turner, Bridge (Campbell 63), Larsson, Cattermole, Gardner, McClean, Sessegnon, Bendtner.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Gibson, Fellaini, Gueye (Jagielka 81), Osman, Cahill (Hibbert 90), Jelavic (Stracqualursi 87).

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).