LIVERPOOL - Tim Cahill made sure Everton's European adventure will continue into the new year with a late winner in their UEFA Cup Group A clash with Zenit St Petersburg at Goodison Park.
But Everton made heavy weather of securing the result that sees them qualify for the last 32 of the competition.
Zenit, the Russian champions, were reduced to 10 men for the last hour when Nicolas Lombaerts was sent off for an unlucky handling decision that also cost his side a penalty.
Mikel Arteta blazed the spot-kick over the bar, however, with Everton's third penalty miss in the competition this season. That made life so much harder for Everton, who struggled to get their noses in front.
But the fact that AZ Alkmaar lost at Nurnberg means Everton have also won the group and will avoid the rejects from the Champions League when the draw is made for the next stage.
Moyes seemed to have selected a side with his club's heavy workload in mind.
Everton, facing eight games in 24 days, have Fulham at Goodison Park on Saturday and a trip to face West Ham in the Carling Cup quarter-finals next Wednesday, so Moyes needed to rest players.
Joseph Yobo was out with an ankle problem but keeper Tim Howard recovered from a virus. Leighton Baines came in at full-back while James McFadden had his first start for over a month, and Phil Jagielka replaced Yobo in defence.
Leon Osman and Ayegbeni Yakubu were rested to the bench against the new champions of Russia, who fielded several who were involved in the Russian defeat of England recently.
Everton's high tempo worried the Russians from the start, Andrew Johnson hounding slow defenders while McFadden got away from a labouring Martin Skrtel - and survived a desperate lunge - but wasted the chance in the box.
South Korean defender Kim Dong Jin was forced to clear off the line from an Arteta hook, and then desperately head clear from Cahill from the follow-up.
Zenit's main avenue of attack was down the right through Argentinian Alejandro Dominguez, but the delivery was poor.
After 19 minutes the nastiness started when striker Pavel Pogrebnyak was booked for a late challenge on Joleon Lescott.
But that was nothing to the uproar after 29 minutes when Everton were awarded a penalty and Zenit suffered what was a very unfortunate red card.
Belgian defender Nicolas Lombaerts threw himself in the way of a Cahill shot, the ball looking to hit his shoulder before deflecting behind.
But Icelandic referee Kristinn Jakobsson stunned the Russians by sending off Lombaerts for hand-ball and pointing to the spot. However, after the arguing had died down, Arteta drove the penalty over the bar.
Radek Shirl was then booked for a wild challenge on Arteta before Viacheslav Malafeev needed to produce a fine save to turn away an Arteta 20 yard free-kick.
Everton came close after 37 minutes Lee Carsley hit the post from 25 yards, before Johnson was booked for going in feet first on keeper Malafeev a minute later.
Wild lunges were thudding in all over the pitch and the referee was on the brink of losing control, with the Russians momentarily down to nine men when Dominguez was carried off four minutes from the break with an ankle problem, Alexander Gorshkov eventually taking over.
Zenit hardly looked as if they were down to 10 men as the second period began.
They continued to play two, sometimes three, up front and twice should have taken the lead in three worrying minutes for Everton.
After 50 minutes Pogrebnyak broke away to run 30 yards before seeing Howard parry away his shot. Three minutes later Andrey Arshavin's clever chip put Konstatin Zyrianov clear in the box, but he fired over the bar.
Pienaar and Arteta both had shots that flashed wide, Everton needing a goal to settle their nerves. On 61 minutes coach Dick Advocaat finally opted for an extra defender in Norwegian Erik Hagen, taking off Pogrebnyak.
Everton responded by taking off McFadden and sending on Victor Anichebe. But still Everton toiled for the breakthrough, and Zenit continued to look dangerous on the break.
After 77 minutes the Russians sent on Lee Ho for Aleksandr Anyukov, with James Vaughan replacing Johnson - who had been very quiet in the second period - with 10 minutes to go.
But after 84 minutes Everton finally got their goal. Arteta's corner dropped into a packed box and Lescott's shot was saved by Malafeev on the line, only for Cahill to force the ball into the roof of the net.
