Everton’s failure to lift the UEFA Cup in the 2007/08 season is lamented as one of the great missed opportunities of David Moyes’ reign and the fact that the Blues defeated eventual winners Zenit St Petersburg 15 years ago today just added to their frustration.
Moyes’ men overcame a scare against Metalist Kharkiv in the qualifying round for the group stages, drawing 1-1 at Goodison Park on a night when Andrew Johnson missed two penalties (he originally scored his first but it was retaken for encroachment and was saved while the second went over the bar) and the visitors finished with nine men before having to come from behind twice in the second leg in Ukraine to triumph 3-2. Once in the group stage though – which was split into sections of five, playing each opponent once with two home games and two away – Everton found their stride and finished with a 100% record.
First up was AE Larissa for former Blues striker Ibrahima Bakayoko’s Goodison Park return and the Greeks were despatched 3-1 on a night that Leon Osman scored a cracker from outside the area in front of the Gwladys Street. Next it was one of the fanbase’s favourite away days of recent decades as they travelled en masse to Nuremberg with approximately 5,000 enjoying a 2-0 victory inside the stadium.
