On a bitterly cold night in Norway, David Moyes' boys took the sting out of SK Brann - new home of Socceroo Michael Thwaite, who came on in the dying seconds - to grab two killer goals in their last-32 first-leg clash.

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.

The Norwegians almost went ahead after nine minutes when Jan Gunnar Solli's free-kick curled into the box and Karadas' instinctive header flashed over the bar.

The Toffees' first chance came when Osman saw a 12-yard shot saved by Hakon Opdal.

Johnson set up Osman after 33 minutes for a snapshot that was turned away by Opdal, and 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 Anichebe came on for Johnson with 15 minutes remaining.

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.