Everton crash out of Champions League

Villarreal 2 Everton 1 (Villarreal win 4-2 on aggregate)

Everton waved goodbye to a lucrative Champions League berth tonight – but they came close to taking this tie into extra-time.

With the scores level at 1-1 in tonight’s game, Duncan Ferguson headed in an 81st-minute effort which would have squared up the aggregate scores and taken the game to extra-time – but referee Pierluigi Collina ruled it out for an infringement by Marcus Bent.

It was harsh on David Moyes’ men, although they needed the heroics of Nigel Martyn to keep their hopes alive.

There is a growing glamour for the 39-year-old shot-stopper to be recalled to the England squad as back-up to Paul Robinson.

It is difficult to argue with his growing band of his supporters as he somehow managed to reduce the Spanish side to two goals.

Mikel Arteta found the target for Everton with an expertly executed free-kick - but another goal failed to materialise despite a valiant late effort.

The damage had been done at Goodison Park two weeks ago when they suffered a 2-1 defeat in this third qualifying round tie.

Everton had a good chance of making the breakthrough in the 17th minute when Ferguson flicked on a long throw from Phil Neville.

Tim Cahill escaped his marker but his header carried little power and was comfortably saved by Mariano Barbosa.

Just when Everton appeared to be taking control Villarreal broke away to score and extend their lead to 3-1 on aggregate.

Juan Pablo Sorin raced forward and powered in a shot which took a deflection off captain David Weir to leave Martyn wrong-footed in the 20th minute.

Martyn then did well to prevent Everton going further behind with a marvellous full length save from Diego Forlan’s thunderbolt in the 24th minute.

Everton found themselves under pressure again in the 29th minute when Weir let in Birmingham reject Luciano Figueroa.

However Kevin Kilbane showed good awareness to get back and cover to clear the ball to safety.

Everton were looking a bit disjointed after losing that goal and the confidence seemed to have been knocked out of one or two players.

In contrast Forlan, such a disappointment at Manchester United, looked in good form in the first half.

He cleverly got away from Joseph Yobo and rattled in a shot from 20 yards but Martyn was equal to it and made a superb parry.

Martyn made another impressive save in the 39th minute when he somehow got a hand to a curling free-kick from the inspirational Juan Roman Riquelme.

It was one-way traffic and Everton’s evergreen shot-stopper again managed to deny Riquelme a minute later.

Moyes’ men would have been glad to have heard the half-time whistle given the pressure they had been under.

Everton knew they would need something special to turn this tie on its head and Bent had a half-chance in the 48th minute.

However he failed to test Villarreal goalkeeper Barbosa, scuffing a shot wide of the target.

There was a moment of danger for Everton in the 50th minute when Gonzalo released Forlan and he homed in on goal, but Martyn stood tall to block his effort.

Everton then hit back on the counter but Ferguson headed wide from a good position following a cross from Simon Davies.

It was a brief respite, though, with Martyn blocking shots from Riquelme and Marcos Senna in quick succession.

Everton boss Moyes made his first change in 56th minute, bringing on Leon Osman for the tiring Kilbane.

Weir was handily placed in the 60th minute and made a vital block as Rodolfo Arrubarrena swept in a cross intended for Figueroa at the back post.

Everton were running out of time and their large band of travelling fans had gone strangely quiet.

However the game took on a different picture in the 70th minute when Arteta pulled Everton level on the night with a stunning free-kick from 20 yards.

Everton almost drew level on aggregate in the 74th minute but Cahill’s cross came back off the bar with Barbosa beaten.

Barbosa then somehow managed to tip over a goalbound header from Ferguson in the 80th minute as they stepped up the pressure.

Then came the moment when Ferguson had the ball in the net – but Collina saw an infringement by Marcus Bent and disallowed the effort.

And, with Everton pushing men forward, Forlan secured Villarreal’s passage in stoppage-time when he swept in Sorin’s cross.