Tony Hibbert celebrated his testimonial match with his first goal for Everton to overshadow new boy Steven Naismith's hat-trick in the 4-1 win against AEK Athens.
Naismith, a summer signing from Rangers, benefited from Steven Pienaar's creativity to put the Toffees in command, first running on to the South African's lofted through-ball to chip over goalkeeper Dimitris Konstantopoulos and then, after Taxiarchis Fountas had equalised, heading in a Pienaar cross to make it 2-1.
The third came from a Pienaar corner after Hibbert's 25-yard effort was tipped over, but the biggest cheer was reserved for the 53rd minute, when Everton were awarded a free-kick and Leighton Baines teed up Hibbert to drill a low shot under the wall and into the bottom corner.
Hibbert's goal, his first in his 10 years with the Toffees, sparked a pitch invasion by hundreds of supporters.
He told the Liverpool Echo: "It was special – I’d like to thanks the fans so much. I said to Bainesy if we get a free-kick in that sort of area I’d take it, but then Ossie (Leon Osman) said to me that the manager was emphasising it was a proper game not just a testimonial.
"He wanted a good workout and a good standard of football. He’d told Bainsey not to let me take penalties.
"But when we won the free kick I looked at Bainsey and nodded and he nodded back so I went over. It’s done now and everyone saw what happened.
"The fans had come here to see me have a go; they wanted to see me score. I just wanted to show them I’d try to go for it and it just came to me."
