West Ham United 1-2 Everton
West Ham United's Carling Cup dreams were shattered at the Boleyn Ground by Yakubu Aiyegbeni's late winner that secured Everton's place in the semi-finals.
The Nigerian striker took full advantage of a defensive mix-up to score his tenth goal of the season and leave the majority of the 28,877 crowd distraught, on a night when Carlton Cole had given them so much hope with a 12th-minute opener, only for the Merseysiders to hit back through Leon Osman and then Yakubu.
With just one defeat in their last eight league and cup games, West Ham United - who had previously seen off Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City in the earlier rounds - came into this tie brimming with confidence following their wonderful win at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday. Everton, on an even better run, were also in upbeat mood.
Alan Curbishley had been forced to make two changes as the fit-again Freddie Ljungberg replaced the cup-tied Nolberto Solano on the right and Ewood Park match-winner Dean Ashton came in for the injured Matthew Etherington (groin) to partner Cole up front in a 4-4-2 lineup.
Sitting equally comfortably in seventh-spot in the Premier League - and having already qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup - in-form Everton had arrived at the Boleyn Ground boasting an impressive, unbeaten ten-game stretch that included victories over Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town in the previous rounds.
David Moyes made just one switch as Phil Jagielka came in for Leighton Baines (hamstring) following Saturday's 3-0 win over Fulham and hat-trick hero Yakubu almost carried on from where he left off at Goodison Park, when he sent a jack-knife header inches wide of Robert Green's right-hand post after the Merseysiders forced two early corners.
But it was West Ham United who drew first blood when Lucas Neill's lofted through-ball was killed in an instant by the ghosting Cole, who had timed his run to perfection. After side-stepping the exposed Tim Howard on the 18-yard line, the in-form striker, who had hit a last-gasp winner at Coventry in the last round, calmly stroked the ball into the unguarded net to claim his fourth goal of the season.
In reply, Tim Cahill stung Green's palms with an 18-yarder that sizzled through the freezing night but having struck once it was West Ham United who looked most likely to find the net again. Despite Ashton's appetite and Cole's confidence causing the visiting defence all sorts of problems, Curbishley's side just could not find that lethal last pass and when they did get sight of goal, Luis Boa Morte sent a rising 18-yarder over the top.
Everton entered the final stages of the first half still very much in the tie and, seven minutes before the break, the tenacious Tim Cahill failed to connect inside the six-yard box after Green could only parry Steven Pienaar's awkward low cross. The Toffees eventually drew level on 40 minutes, when Pienaar collected the ball at the back of the penalty area before patiently picking out Osman. He bagged his fifth goal of the campaign with a curling shot that flew through a pack of bodies, beyond the unsighted Green.
Curbishley's troops emerged for the restart in a positive mood and, as they quickly rediscovered their tempo, the lively Cole had an appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Mark Halsey, before hooking Ljungberg's near-post corner into the side-netting.
Midway through the second period, Neill was booked for a touchline challenge on Mikel Arteta and, seconds later, substitute Kyel Reid replaced Boa Morte out on the left. After George McCartney made two quick-fire saving tackles on Arteta and then Yakubu, John Pantsil stepped from the bench to replace the tiring Cole, leaving Ljungberg to partner Ashton in attack.
In a carbon copy of the first half, West Ham United were still struggling to find the killer pass against a defiant defence and, with erstwhile Everton equally breaking upfield unsuccessfully, extra time looked inevitable. But ,with just two minutes remaining, disaster struck when that man Yakubu took full advantage of a mix-up between the hitherto immaculate Danny Gabbidon and Green to prod Everton into the last four.
West Ham United: Green, Neill (c), Upson, Gabbidon, McCartney, Ljungberg, Mullins, Parker, Boa Morte (Reid 67), Ashton, Cole (Pantsil 77)
Subs not used: Wright, Spector, Noble
Everton: Howard, Neville (c), Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Osman, Pienaar, Carsley, Arteta, Cahill, Yakubu
Subs not used: Wessels, Hibbert, Gravesen, Johnson, Anichebe