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.
• Moyes proud of troops
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 discard 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. However 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.
Moyes proud of brave ToffeesEverton boss David Moyes was pleased with his side's performance despite the
4-2 aggregate defeat to Villarreal in their Champions League qualifier.
The Toffeemen will now play in the UEFA Cup after defeat to their Spanish
opponents, although they had a goal disallowed which could have sent the tie to
extra-time.
Moyes told ITV2: 'We played a very good team. We had to carry bits of luck,
we always knew we had to score two goals and we came very close.
'I am really pleased with the lads - they gave their all.'
Duncan Ferguson was denied the crucial goal, and Moyes was disappointed with
decisions from referee Pierluigi Collina.
'Maybe it's new to us and we need to understand more. I was told referees
would be the same in Europe as they were in England,' Moyes said.
He added: 'We are disappointed we are out but must not forget the achievement
of getting here - so know we get a chance of the UEFA Cup and we would have
settled for that at the start of last season.'
Goalkeeper Nigel Martyn took no comfort from his outstanding performance,
adding on ITV1: 'It counts for nothing, we are a big team together and everyone
played extremely well. We created our chances but didn't put them away.
'We created chances and scored what looked a perfectly good goal - we are
hugely disappointed.'
Forlan added: 'It was a difficult game, we knew they would try to win the
game and it was difficult - the disallowed goal was a help for us.
'I think it was for pushing but I didn't see anything.'
Villarreal 2 - 1 Everton
