Everton threw away a 2-1 first-leg advantage to exit the Europa
League at the last-32 stage with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at
Sporting Lisbon.
Leading from the first leg and going into the game on the
back of a superb victory against Manchester United, Everton were
widely expected to complete the job in Portugal.
However, Sporting shrugged off their indifferent form to
progress to the last 16 thanks to second half goals from Miguel
Veloso, Pedro Mendes and substitute Matias Fernandez.
Everton had been thrashed 5-0 by Benfica on their last visit
to Lisbon in October but David Moyes was able to name a strong side
for this occasion and better was expected.
However, they were on the back foot from the very first
whistle and Tim Howard was forced into action after just four
minutes when Marat Izmailov cut inside and cracked a shot the
American parried to safety.
It was an early warning to Everton that Sporting were
determined to turn this tie around and there was another reminder
in the 13th minute when Liedson clipped his effort wide of the
post.
There was to be an even bigger let-off for the Toffees soon
after, however, when Phillipe Senderos barged over Yannick Djalo on
the edge of the area and Joao Moutinho send a sweet free-kick
crashing onto the bar.
Liedson latched on to the rebound but snatched at his effort
and it went wide.
Veloso sent a shot into Howard's body as Sporting maintained
the momentum but Everton woke from their slumber a minute before
half-time when Senderos found the net after getting on the end of a
free-kick from Leighton Baines. His effort was ruled out for
offside.
Senderos needed treatment to his back three minutes into the
second half after taking a hefty knock and he was eventually
replaced in the 52nd minute by Phil Jagielka, making his first
appearance since April.
Djalosent a shot narrowly over the bar shortly before that
and Jagielka, drafted in without any reserve games under his belt
following his knee ligament injury, must have known his side were
up against it.
Howard did well to turn away a close range shot from Izmailov
in the 58th minute and he showed even better reflexes to turn over
a rasping drive from Veloso shortly after.
Steven Pienaar saw his effort go narrowly over the bar as
Everton fleetingly threatened, but Sporting made the breakthrough
they deserved in the 64th minute when Veloso got clear inside the
six yard area and drove past Howard from a tight angle.
That made it 2-2 on aggregate but things got worse for the
Toffees in the 76th minute as Mendes got on the end of a cutback
from Izmailov to find the corner with his effort, via a deflection
off substitute Jack Rodwell.
Everton pushed forward in the dying minutes but a Sporting
breakaway in stoppage time saw Fernandez net after he fortuitously
stumbled around Howard.
