David Moyes' side may have qualified for the last 32 of the competition but Benfica easily beat them twice in the group and only a double against AEK Athens saved the Toffees from the ignominy of an early exit.
- Everton 0-1 BATE Borisov - Match Report
- Everton home
Jake Bidwell was the youngest, at 16 years and 271 days, of five players that made their full debuts for Everton with Moyes also opting to start with reserve goalkeeper Carlo Nash, Shane Duffy, Kieran Agard and Adam Forshaw.
The Belarusian side had already been knocked out but looked lively throughout the game which saw the Toffees suffer yet another injury blow when Jack Rodwell limped off in the eighth minute and had to be replaced by teenager Hope Apkan.
Everton came close to breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute when Leon Osman's long-range effort forced Sergei Veremko to make a regulation save.
Nash blocked a shot from Aleksandr Volodko on the half-hour mark before Agard sent an effort over the crossbar.
Sergei Krivets should have scored from close range but failed to get any power into his effort and Nash was able to make a comfortable save.
On the hour mark Yakubu's 60th-minute shot flew wide of the target before the visitors went close two minutes later when Nash raced out of his area and was fortunate to see Shane Duffy clear Pavel Nekhaychik's shot away from danger.
The decisive goal was scored with 15 minutes left when Duffy, who otherwise had a fine match, tried to clear Alexander Yurevich's 25-yard shot, only to deflect it into the net past Nash.
Source: DSG
