Howard Alone Gives Feeble Everton Chance of Progress

The Italian authorities failed in attempts to impose an alcohol ban in Florence yesterday but this was a sobering trip for Everton regardless. By the time their torture had ended, Uefa Cup ambitions left dangling by the thinnest thread, David Moyes and his men were in need of a stiff drink to dull the pain.

Deposed of the fourth Champions League place in the Premier League by Liverpool on Wednesday, they saw their gradual development in this season's Uefa Cup brought to a shuddering halt last night as Fiorentina ravaged Moyes' team. Everton will require a radical transformation in technique and attacking threat to salvage this tie at Goodison Park next Wednesday but most of all they need a change in attitude. They began with caution, appeared more content to protect a clean sheet than deprive La Viola of one and, reprehensibly for their manager, never produced the work-rate that is so fundamental to their game. The consequences were inevitable and thoroughly deserved.

"Some of our players didn't play to their potential tonight. In fact, the majority didn't," said Moyes. "The better team won and our performance wasn't good. I didn't think we got to the pace of the game at any time. That was disappointing. We never reached the levels we have done in recent months and we have a big job ahead of us now. It will be a very big job on tonight's performance."

Everton did not register a meaningful shot on Sébastien Frey's goal all night. Tim Howard led the Everton resistance throughout on his 29th birthday but once Zdravko Kuzmanovic broke the dam in the 71st minute, the visitors were submerged and fortunate to escape with a two-goal deficit. Their last hope of silverware this season all but disappeared on a wet and windy night in Tuscany.

Fiorentina, fourth in Serie A, were sharp, probing and inventive throughout in contrast to a sluggish Everton, whose resilient defending was undermined by a pedestrian midfield. Moyes attempted to limit the penetration of the left-back Manuel Pasqual by deploying Phil Neville in right midfield with Tony Hibbert behind, and the visitors were content to keep possession in their own half while the game remained scoreless. Christian Vieri, Pablo Osvaldo and Kuzmanovic all drew fine saves from Howard, however, to give sufficient warning to Everton's dangerous game. They heeded none.

With the game in the closing stages and Everton in sight of an unmerited draw, the pace and passion of Fiorentina finally told. The Serbian midfielder Kuzmanovic placed a long-range shot into the bottom corner having been left unmarked in a position from which he had tested Howard moments earlier. Seven minutes from time the visitors' task swung from problematic to mountainous when Riccardo Montolivo volleyed superbly beyond Howard after a delightful flick by Martin Jorgensen.

The substitute Mario Santana squandered a glorious chance for a third late on but, on this evidence, Fiorentina may not require that luxury to advance into the quarter-finals next week.