Everton's brief Champions League flirtation ended in controversy on Wednesday when a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal condemned them to a 4-2 aggregate defeat in their third qualifying round clash.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Everton conceded another goal when Juan Pablo Sorin scored in the first half and were indebted to a string of fine saves from veteran goalkeeper Nigel Martyn to keep them in the game.
But then Mikael Arteta gave them a 70th minute lifeline before a headed goal from Duncan Ferguson was controversially ruled out by referee Pierluigi Collina which would have taken the tie into extra-time.
Diego Forlan then scored a breakaway goal in injury time to send the Spaniards into the money-spinning group stages while Everton head for the UEFA Cup.
Everton enjoyed the first real opening in the 17th minute when Ferguson, making a rare start due to an injury to James Beattie, leapt to head a throw-in across the box.
The ball fell perfectly to Tim Cahill but the Australian international could only direct a weak header into the arms of goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa.
They were made to pay just three minutes later when Argentinian skipper Sorin scored when his 25-yard drive took a deflection off David Weir and left Martyn wrong-footed.
That made the score 3-1 on aggregate and left the Merseysiders needing two goals just to ensure extra-time.
Forlan then came close to making it 2-0 on the night but was denied by a good Martyn save.
The Uruguayan international, who once spent a famously fruitless spell at Manchester United, deserved to be on the scoresheet in the 37th minute when he turned inside two defenders on the halfway line and unleashed a powerful left-foot drive which was pushed around the post by Martyn.
The Everton keeper then had to be alert to parry away a Juan Roman Riquelme free-kick before denying the dangerous Argentinian again down at his left-hand post.
Everton remained under the cosh after the second half and again it was left to Martyn, closing in on his 40th birthday, who came to their rescue with two more impressive saves from Forlan and Marcus
Senna.
Ferguson then had a chance to put Everton back in the game but the Scotsman could only head wide of the target.
But they were back in contention in the 70th minute when Phil Neville was chopped down on the edge of the box leaving Mikael Arteta to curl the free-kick around the Villarreal wall and into the top corner to make the score 1-1.
The Merseysiders sensed their chance and Barbosa pulled off a flying save to deny a Ferguson header before the match was plunged into controversy in the 80th minute.
Ferguson sent a bullet header into the net from an Arteta corner but the effort was ruled out by Collina for a Marcus Bent foul in the penalty area.
Despite their best efforts, it was left to Forlan to bury Everton's dream with a cool injury time finish.
