Middlesbrough 0-0 Everton
(Boro win 5-4 on penalties)
Spanish star Gaizka Mendieta proved the hero as Middlesbrough squeezed past Everton into the Carling Cup quarter-finals last night.
The on-loan Lazio midfielder, who will sign a permanent four-year contract at the Riverside Stadium at the end of the current season, calmly slotted home his side's fifth and final penalty in a dramatic shoot-out to earn the plaudits of his manager after a tense encounter.
Mendieta needed the help of keeper Mark Schwarzer, who blocked substitute Leon Osman's kick with his legs to pave the way for his team-mate to grab the headlines, but he deserved his moment in the spotlight for his man-of-the-match display.
Boro's Michael Ricketts, Bolo Zenden, Danny Mills, Maccarone and Mendieta were faultless under pressure with penalties, as were Thomas Gravesen, David Unsworth, James McFadden and Alan Stubbs, and it was the unfortunate Osman who was left the suffer the heartache.
Moyes, who was unhappy with the decision, taken on police advice, to stage the shoot-out at the end of the ground populated solely by home fans, was pleased with his side's much-improved performance.
But it was McClaren who was left to savour the prospect of a run into the latter stages of the competition, starting with a trip to White Hart Lane later this month.