Everton suffer penalty heartbreak against Fiorentina
Wednesday, 12 Mar 2008 22:36
David Moyes' side were knocked out on penalties
Yakubu and Phil Jagielka missed from the spot as
Everton were knocked out of the last 16 of the Uefa Cup on penalties by Fiorentina.
Yakubu saw his penalty come back off the post while Sebastien Frey saved Jagielka's right-foot strike as Fiorentina scored all four of their spot kicks.
The result was harsh on Everton, who earned the right to contest the spot-kick shootout by beating the Italian side 2-0 in normal time at Goodison Park.
The hosts began nervously, faced with a daunting task if the visitors were to score early.
However, the tension was settled somewhat when Steven Pienaar moved into left channel and cut back on his right foot, crossing to the near post for Andrew Johnson to chest the ball in after Frey failed to deal with the cross.
Everton never looked back and nearly had a second soon after when Mikel Arteta volleyed over from Joleon Lescott's left-wing cross.
Arteta tested the keeper with a curling free kick and Johnson saw a penalty shout waved away by Eric Braamhaar, although replays suggested the referee made the correct decision.
Everton thought they had scored a second in first-half stoppage time when Yakubu tucked in Arteta's pull back, only for the linesman's flag to judge the Spaniard offside. Again, the decision was correct.
The Toffees started the second half as they finished the first and pulled the tie level on 65 minutes through a 30-yard strike from Arteta.
Taking the ball midway inside the Fiorentina half, Arteta strode forward before hammering a right-foot strike into the bottom left-hand corner - sending Goodison Park wild.
David Moyes' side continued to push for the win and Frey saved well from Yakubu before Howard kept Everton in it after he tipped Giampaolo Pazzini's header over the bar.
Extra time continued in the same way, with Everton attacking the Italian side, but the it was Fiorentina who kept their cool in the dreaded shoot-out to book their place in the quarter finals.