Brann
On The Bench
Everton
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3 |
Fernandes
**
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On The Bench
On a bitterly cold night in Norway, David Moyes' boys took the sting out of Brann to grab two killer goals.
Leon Osman crashed home the first in the second half and substitute Victor Anichebe bagged the second, his fourth in six matches in this run.
Anything but a confident progress into the last 16 when Goodison Park stages the second leg next Thursday seems unlikely after tonight's clinical performance.
The recently-chastened Yakubu was back in Everton's front line in Norway.
The Nigerian striker paid the penalty for his late return from the African Nations Cup, but he was needed for the clash with the Norwegian champions.
Without Mikel Arteta (groin), Everton brought Manuel Fernandes into midfield.
Brann had been away for a months' warm-weather training in La Manga preparing for this tie. They fielded two players well-known in the UK, former Leeds midfielder Eirik Bakke and ex-Portsmouth forward Azar Karadas.
Everton started in confident fashion, a 4-4-2 formation with Andy Johnson alongside Yakubu up front.
It is not David Moyes' favourite formation but it showed the intent to attack.
But it was the Norwegians who almost went ahead after nine minutes. Jan Gunnar Solli's free-kick curled into the box and Karadas' instinctive header flashed over the bar.
Everton seemed content to soak up Brann's pressure, roared on by a impressive home support, but the visiting defence was rarely really troubled.
However, Everton created precious little of consequence, while Brann had Bakke pulling the strings in midfield.
The Toffees' first chance came when Osman saw a 12-yard shot saved by Hakon Opdal, the Norwegian goalkeeper who had been on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat against Wales in Wrexham last week.
Brann continually got into the heart of Everton's area, but their efforts were smothered, with some difficulty at times.
Johnson set up Osman after 33 minutes for a snapshot that was turned away by Opdal, but this was not an assertive Everton performance.
Lee Carsley fired over from the edge of the box, but it did not ignite a match that lacked drive and direction.
On the stroke of half-time, Tim Howard fumbled a Solli corner over the line, under pressure from Karadas and Bakke. Referee Anton Genov ruled the effort out, to the disgust of the local fans, who booed the Bulgarian official off at the break.
There was clearly a need for Everton to be more positive at the restart, and Tim Cahill responded with a 25-yard strike that cracked against Opdal's left-hand post after 52 minutes.
Seven minutes later, the Toffees were in the lead. They broke down the right after a fierce Cahill challenge won possession.
The ball was played into Andrew Johnson, and he turned Kristjan Sigurdsson in the box before drilling in a low cross.
The danger was only half cleared to the edge of the box and Osman was onto it in a flash to crack a low drive into the far bottom corner.
Brann responded by sending on recently-signed striker Njogu Demba-Nyren for his debut in place of Karadas, while Fernandes was booked for a foul on Bjorn Dahl after 69 minutes.
Everton pressed for a killer goal and Fernandes forced Opdal into a fumbling save at the foot of a post before Victor Anichebe came on for Johnson with 15 minutes remaining, the Norwegians sending on Erik Huseklepp for Hassan El Fakiri.
Howard was forced into a plunging save to keep out a Demba-Nyren long-range drive before Thorstein Helstad forced a scrambled save from Howard.
But Everton got the crucial second goal two minutes from time when Fernandes sent Joleon Lescott down the left to supply a perfect cross for Anichebe to guide into the net, his fourth goal in Europe this season.
Tony Hibbert came on for Fernandes and Michael Thwaites replaced Dahl for the Norwegians, but the victory was secured by then.
