Sporting Lisbon 3-0 Everton (Agg 4-2): Toffees come unstuck in Portugal

Everton failed to make an impact in Portugal as Sporting Lisbon won 3-0 on the night to progress in the Europa League.

Second-half strikes from Miguel Veloso, Pedro Mendes and a late Matias Fernandez goal was enough to see off the English side.

Everton were looking to be the third English club of the night to progress in the Europa League after earlier aggregate wins for Fulham and Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

Sporting started the better of the two teams and had the first chance of the game after great work by Joao Moutinho who skilfully beat Joseph Yobo and played in Marat Izmailov but Tim Howard saved the Russian’s low strike.

Everton couldn’t get in the game and they could have fallen behind when Moutinho struck the bar with a superb free kick that left Howard helpless in the Everton goal. The Portuguese international's curling right-footed effort eventually bounced out to Miguel Veloso inside the box but he could only fire his shot wide.

The Lisbon club had made Everton more than aware that they were still in the tie as the English side struggled to make any impact in the opening quarter of the match.

Some poor defending from Everton led to two chances for Izmailov on the edge of the box, the first was blocked before a poor clearance fell back to the midfielder who failed to direct his effort on target.

Philippe Senderos had the ball in the back of the net just before the break but was rightly flagged offside after the Swiss international got on the end of Leighton Baines' free kick.

Phil Jagielka made his first appearance in an Everton shirt since last April when he replaced Senderos who picked up an injury early in the second half.

It was Sporting who again started the better in the second period and Yannick dos Santos Djalo threatened when he struck a long range effort but the ball sailed high and wide of the mark.

Howard was called into action minutes later when an Abel cross looked goal bound but the American goalkeeper did well to tip the ball over the bar.

Moutinho continued to look dangerous for the Portuguese outfit and could have given his side the lead had it not been for a great reaction save from Howard. The former Everton transfer target managed to get on the end of a cross from the right but he volleyed straight at Howard.

Steven Pienaar finally carved out a chance for the visitors but his right-footed curled shot drifted wide of the right-hand post.

However, it was Sporting who eventually made their pressure count and took the lead on the night twenty minutes into the second half when Miguel Veloso was found in space inside the Everton box and the 23-year-old smashed the ball home from close range.

With the advantage now with the hosts, David Moyes’ men went in search of an equaliser and they almost found one through Louis Saha. The Frenchman did well to control a deep cross on his chest but Rui Patricio did well to block the volleyed chance.

Despite Everton’s attempts to get back into the game it was Sporting who went further in front through a deflected Mendes strike. The former Rangers and Portsmouth midfielder struck the ball venomously after being teed up on the edge of the box.

With fifteen minutes left to play the Toffees continued to search for a single goal to take the tie to extra time but they rarely looked like grabbing that vital goal.

Fernandez added a third in stoppage time as Everton pressed for a goal and were caught on the counter attack.