The Viola had a 2-0 first leg lead going into Goodison Park and kept the same line-up as Adrian Mutu was still injured, but the home side were without Tim Cahill and brought back Mikel Arteta. Joining in the Liverpool atmosphere, Fiorentina wore an all-red away strip. The history books bode well for Cesare Prandelli, as they were unbeaten on their travels in the UEFA Cup this season and Everton had never scored against Italian opposition.

As expected, Everton got off to a strong start as Leon Osman's effort was deflected out for a corner. They took an early lead in chaotic fashion after 16 minutes, as Steven Pienaar's cross squirmed past an uncertain Sebastien Frey and Andy Johnson bundled the ball over the line with his chest.

Their tails were up and Arteta blasted over after a Tomas Ujfalusi error, then Frey made up for his error by palming away a curling Arteta free kick that dipped over the wall.

Johnson had penalty appeals waved away, as he seemed to jump at Manuel Pasqual, and Frey had his palms stung by Osman's follow-up. Philip Jagielka nodded an Arteta free kick over.

Fiorentina were under pressure, but created a great chance on 33 minutes when Manuel Pasqual got away down the left channel and Martin Jorgensen's volley was straight at Tim Howard.

Frey is known primarily for his shot-stopping skills and showed that when he had to get down to parry a Yakubu Ayegbeni run through the middle. Johnson's header from a corner was well over, but Alessandro Gamberini needed a great tackle to block Johnson from eight yards.

Everton did get the ball in the back of the net in first half stoppages, but Arteta was offside when he gathered Frey's one-handed save from Johnson and rolled across for Yakubu.

Giampaolo Pazzini replaced an ineffective Christian Vieri at the break, but the Under-21 international needed a confidence booster after two shocking misses in Serie A this month.

There was an early scare as an Arteta corner clipped Jorgensen guarding the line. There were penalty appeals for an Ujfalusi handling offence, but as the ball visibly ricocheted on to his elbow it could not have been considered a foul.

Fiorentina were furious as Pablo Daniel Osvaldo was elbowed in the back of the head, but Everton continued play and went on the counter.

Osvaldo charged down a Howard clearance to put the goalkeeper under pressure, but there was danger at the other end when Johnson's shot ricocheted off the inside of Dainelli's leg and Fiorentina scrambled clear for a corner.

The home side had been threatening it with Arteta and he drew the tie level on aggregate with a cracking angled drive from 25 metres that ricocheted in off the inside of the far post, giving Frey no chance.

It was almost 3-0, as Frey had to clear Yakubu's close-range finish off the line. Moments later he performed another stunning save on Yakubu's header.

Howard's saves kept the tie alive in Florence and he needed another fine one-handed stop to tip Pazzini's glancing header out from under the crossbar. From the resulting corner Dainelli nodded past the far post.

Frey misjudged another Arteta set-piece and Ujfalusi clattered into the post as he cleared the danger. Yakubu was booked three minutes from time for a truly embarrassing dive in the box without the slightest contact.

Yobo's header from an Arteta free kick flashed past the upright, but the tie had to go to extra time. Fiorentina threw on Massimo Gobbi for Zdravko Kuzmanovic, who scored in the first leg but did precious little on British soil. Pazzini tested Howard from six yards and had another shot off target as he slipped.

Yakubu was clear on goal after the ball fell kindly, but Gamberini and Ujfalusi did enough to block his path. Soon after Yakubu wastefully blasted over from the long ball game.

For the second half of extra time, Mario Alberto Santana replaced Jorgensen for a more attacking approach and Victor Anichebe took over from Pienaar.

Frey had to prevent an own goal, as Gamberini intercepted Johnson's cross for Yakubu and hit it against his own goalkeeper. Pazzini cut in and whistled his low shot a yard past the near post, but Thomas Gravesen came on just to take a penalty as it went to a shoot-out after 120 minutes.

In a tie where both goalkeepers proved crucial - Howard preventing Fiorentina from gaining a much larger advantage in Florence and Frey performing well at Goodison Park - it seemed fitting it should be decided in this manner.

Yakubu hit the inside of the post and Frey saved Jagielka's effort with one strong hand as it was heading under the bar, giving Fiorentina a double advantage. Mario Alberto Santana maintained their 100 per cent record from the spot to send the Viola through to the quarter-finals.

Penalties: Everton: Gravesen Goal, Yakubu Post, Arteta Goal, Jagielka Saved

Fiorentina: Pazzini Goal, Montolivo Goal, Osvaldo Goal, Santana Goal.

Everton: Howard; Yobo, Lescott, P Neville; Arteta, Jagielka, Pienaar (Anichebe 105), Osman, Carsley; Johnson (Gravesen 120), Yakubu
Fiorentina: Frey; Ujfalusi, Dainelli, Gamberini, Pasqual; Donadel, Jorgensen (Santana 105), Montolivo, Kuzmanovic (Gobbi 90); Vieri (Pazzini 46), Osvaldo
Ref: Braahmaar (Hol)