GAIZKA MENDIETA was the toast of Teesside as Middlesbrough edged into the last eight of the Carling Cup at the expense of Everton in a penalty shoot-out.

Midfielder Mendieta's spot-kick was decisive and clinched a quarter-final trip to Tottenham after goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer crucially saved Leon Osman's penalty.

Both sides squandered a host of chances to seal victory in the fourth-round tie on a frustrating night at the Riverside Stadium.

Wayne Rooney started after all for Everton despite intense speculation that he would be relegated to the bench following his fall-out with boss David Moyes, whom he ignored when he was hauled off in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Bolton.

But the 18-year-old England star was substituted again nine minutes into extra-time after a patchy performance as his side, who haven't won away from home for eight months, bowed out.

Boro's £8.15m record buy Massimo Maccarone, a scorer in the 2-1 victory at Wigan in the last round, was recalled for only his third start this season to partner Szilard Nemeth, who also returned after Juninho was ruled out with a hamstring injury and Michael Ricketts was demoted to the bench.

Doriva, who needed four stitches in a head wound and picked up an ankle injury in Sunday's 1-0 win at Manchester City, joined Brazilian compatriot Juninho on the sidelines.

Jonathan Greening came into midfield alongside George Boateng, who was passed fit despite being carried off against City after taking a blow to the head.

The other change was in defence, where Chris Riggott took the place of veteran Colin Cooper, who was rested among the substitutes and found himself in the company of Ugo Ehiogu.

It was Ehiogu's first appearance in the senior squad this season, and confirmed a remarkable recovery by the England centre-back from the cruciate injury which required an exploratory operation in the summer.

Tomasz Radzinski was the man sacrificed in Everton's attack as Francis Jeffers made only his second start since his close-season return on loan from Arsenal.

But it was the shaven-headed midfield combination of Thomas Gravesen and Lee Carsley who conjured the first chance of the night in only the third minute. Gravesen crossed from the right but Carsley's header dropped wide of the near post.

Boro's response was a foray down the left which culminated in a Franck Queudrue centre that was met by the head of Gaizka Mendieta and touched on to the far post at full stretch by keeper Nigel Martyn.

Mendieta was Boro's livewire and when Gary Naysmith gave the ball away to Riggott, the Spaniard cunningly curled his delivery in behind the defence for Maccarone, whose first-time shot flew wide.

There was pace and verve about Boro's attacks and Mendieta was at the hub of their best moves.

When Chinese midfielder Li Tie tried to pre-empt Mendieta's menace by bringing him down, Bolo Zenden's driven, angled free-kick wasn't far wide of the near upright.

Greening then fed Mendieta in the 20th minute and his left-footed curler forced another back-breaking save from 37-year-old Martyn, who turned the ball over in spectacular style.

Much to the amusement of the Riverside faithful, Rooney broke through the middle only to miskick, but he still ended up bringing a save from Schwarzer at his near post.

Martyn performed more heroics when he raced outside his box to hack clear from the onrushing Nemeth.

Jeffers saw another opening go begging five minutes into the second half when his glancing header from Carsley's cross fell agonisingly wide after beating Schwarzer.

Danny Mills then had to make a desperate goalmouth block from Rooney as Everton started the half in the ascendancy.

Mendieta fired narrowly over before McClaren attempted to pep up his frontline in the 76th minute with the introduction of Ricketts for Nemeth.

But the former Bolton man missed his big chance in the 82nd minute when his close-range effort from Zenden's cross was blocked.

Worse was to follow, however, when Zenden centred again soon afterwards and Maccarone forced wide at the near post with the goal at his mercy.

Radzinski replaced Rooney and set up Jeffers for a great shooting chance which he somehow lifted over. Maccarone was then lucky to escape a booking for diving when Mr Halsey waved play on after the Italian had gone down in the box under the challenge of Everton skipper Alan Stubbs.

In the second period of extra-time, Mendieta was only inches away when he bent a 20-yard free-kick past the far post, and Everton sub Osman was foiled by Schwarzer after replacing Jeffers.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.