DAVID MOYES already had enough trouble with a foot yesterday without then watching his team shoot themselves in theirs.

On the day Everton's injury jinx returned with a vengeance, so did their propensity for doing things the hard way.

Within minutes of taking a significant step into the next round of the Europa League, the Goodison outfit pressed the self-destruct button in spectacular fashion to hand Sporting Lisbon a lifeline and leave this round of 32 tie delicately poised.

But it shouldn't have been this way. Two goals ahead following strikes by Steven Pienaar and Sylvain Distin, Everton had earned a strong position going into the return leg on Thursday week.

One moment of madness changed that, Distin played into trouble by a slack pass from Jack Rodwell and subsequently fouling Liedson inside the area for Miguel Veloso to stroke home what could prove the pivotal goal in the tie.

It was the classic European sucker-punch. Distin saw red and so did Moyes, the manager later scolding his team for their failure to press home an obvious advantage.

As cricket legend Steve Waugh succinctly quipped: “Everton shouldn't have declared at 2-0.”

Waugh was in town to interview Tim Cahill for Australian television, and saw his compatriot play an integral part in Pienaar's classy opener, the South African marking his 100th Everton appearance in some style.

Cahill, though, limped off midway through the second half with a suspected calf strain, compounding the injury woe suffered earlier in the day with the news Marouane Fellaini has been ruled out for up to six months with ankle ligament damage.

The Belgian's destructive presence will be sorely missed when Everton step out at the Estádio José Alvalade in eight days' time for what promises to be a serious examination of their European credentials.

Sporting have progressed from all previous six knockout ties against English opposition in Europe and, thanks to Veloso's late penalty, Moyes fears the momentum now rests with the Portuguese.

Certainly, the ludicrous early kick-off was no excuse for Everton falling asleep in the closing moments.

But it did impact on the attendance, with Goodison officials claiming the timing had knocked 7,000 off the crowd and cost the club around £100,000 in lost revenue.

While Benfica were in a rich vein of form when beating Everton twice in the group stages, the same could not be said of their Lisbon rivals Sporting, whose had lost three of their previous four games with an indifferent start to the season prompting coach Paulo Bento to resign in November, replaced by Carlos Carvalhal.

Indeed, having been dumped out of both domestic cup competitions, failing to meet expectations in the league and with Europe the only hope of silverware, Sporting's campaign has a familiar ring about.

By contrast, Everton's winter revival was rejuvenated by the famous win over Premier League leaders Chelsea last week.