Everton climbed a mountain at Goodison Park last night; unfortunately, they could not quite scale the peak. The Merseyside club’s finest performance of an impressive season may well have warranted a place in the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup, but in the end it was that great nemesis of English football — the penalty shoot-out — that dashed their hopes.

Having trailed 2-0 from the first leg in Florence, Everton performed wonders to drag a pulsating European encounter into extra time thanks to goals from Andrew Johnson and Mikel Arteta, but ultimately they were made to pay for their profligacy, even if Sébastien Frey, Fiorentina’s outstanding goalkeeper, had much to do with that. Everton could also bemoan the decision by Eric Braamhaar, the Dutch referee, not to award a penalty against Tomás Ujfalusi when the Fiorentina defender clearly handled in the area in the second half.

Yakubu Ayegbeni and Phil Jagielka missed their penalties before Mario Alberto Santana made sure that the Italians would not suffer at the hands of English opposition for the third time in nine days, after AC Milan and Inter Milan’s Champions League defeats by Arsenal and Liverpool respectively.

From the first whistle, Everton went for the jugular in front of the raucous supporters. David Moyes, who celebrates six years in charge at Goodison Park on Saturday, had preached patience but, though short of throwing caution to the wind, there was a purpose and penetration that had been lacking in Florence. While Fiorentina stuck with the same team that had served them well in the first leg, Moyes had little choice but to break with his preference for a five-man midfield and partner Johnson in attack with Yakubu.

Everton had craved an early goal and in the sixteenth minute it duly arrived. Steven Pienaar found just enough pace to deliver a fine cross to his near post that flew over Yakubu and into the path of Johnson, who bundled the ball in.

The loss of Tim Cahill in the build-up to the match with a foot injury suffered in training had been a blow, but Everton scarcely missed the Australia midfield player. Leon Osman was outstanding in Cahill’s absence, while Johnson seemed a man possessed.

On the flanks, Pienaar and Arteta were constant menaces and were supported ably by Joleon Lescott and Phil Neville, the full backs. Frey’s best save came on the brink of half-time, when he denied Johnson. Osman had been frustrated earlier when Frey tipped his snap-shot over the bar and Yakubu might have done better when he cut inside Dario Dainelli after motioning to shoot, only for his effort to be brilliantly repelled by Frey.

The Italian team refused to panic and in the 33rd minute they threatened an away goal when Martin Jorgensen met Manuel Pasqual’s cross with a crisp volley that went straight at Tim Howard, the Everton goalkeeper. But, having been overrun in midfield in the first leg, Everton were altogether more cohesive and creative.

By the time Fiorentina were breached for a second time, as Arteta levelled the aggregate score in the 67th minute, the Italian team had withstood wave after wave of attacks. Yakubu dispossessed Marco Donadel in his own half and found Arteta, who sent a thunderous shot past Frey.

Yakubu almost produced a third goal, but Frey again made a stunning save. An away goal would have changed everything and in the 76th minute, Fiorentina almost had one when Giamtaolo Bezzini drew a fine save from Howard. But it was Frey who would return to haunt Everton as, after a goalless extra 30 minutes, he saved their fourth penalty, taken by Jagielka, after Yakubu had struck a post with their second.

Everton (4-4-2): T Howard – P Neville, J Yobo, P Jagielka, J Lescott – M Arteta, L Osman, L Carsley, S Pienaar (sub: V Anichebe, 105min) – A Johnson (sub: T Gravesen, 119), Yakubu Ayegbeni. Substitutes not used: S Wessels, A Hibbert, L Baines, N Valente, J Rodwell. Booked: Yobo, Yakubu.

Fiorentina (4-3-3): S Frey – T Ujfalusi, A Gamberini, D Dainelli, M Pasqual – Z Kuzmanovic (sub: M Gobbi, 90), M Donadel, R Montolivio – M Jorgensen (sub: M A Santana, 105), C Vieri (sub: G Panzini, 46), P D Osvaldo. Substitutes not used: V Avramov, P Kroldrup, A Potenza, D Cacia. Booked: Dainelli, Montolivio, Panzini, Gamberini, Jorgensen.

Referee: E Braamhaar (Netherlands).