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Liverpool - Diniyar Bilyaletdinov smashed in a stunning injury-time goal for Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday to end Portsmouth's time in the Premier League with one last heartbreaking defeat.
Spirited visitors Pompey had seemed set to bow out with a creditable goalless draw in which they even had a goal wrongly disallowed.
But Russia midfielder Bilyaletdinov grabbed his seventh Toffees goal of the season in spectacular fashion from more than 25 yards out to crush rock-bottom Portsmouth at the death.
Everton finished eighth in the Premier League, two points off seventh place and a Europa League spot.
Debt-ridden Portsmouth, at the foot of the table, were scuppered by their nine-point deduction for going into administration and ended the season 16 points off the safety mark.
But they have six days to pick themselves up again before their FA Cup final date with newly-crowned champions Chelsea.
Pompey boss Avram Grant made five changes as he prepared for Saturday's Wembley showpiece.
England goalkeeper David James was the most notable absentee, replaced by Jamie Ashdown. Ricardo Rocha, Hayden Mullins, Papa Bouba Diop and Marc Wilson all came into the side.
For the Toffees, Australia midfielder Tim Cahill was absent due to a groin strain, while South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar returned after a game out. Mikel Arteta took over as skipper from the injured Phil Neville.
The Liverpudlian side easily had the better of the first half, but failed to convert their chances.
The Toffees created five opportunities in the first few minutes. Rocha cleared a Tony Hibbert effort, then Senegal midfielder Diop headed an Arteta cross to safety.
Striker Louis Saha nodded over and Arteta hit a shot at Ashdown as it seemed Everton were going to crush their opponents.
But the south coast club came close to scoring 10 minutes in as John Utaka curled a shot over the crossbar.
Then Portsmouth striker Frederic Piquionne beat Phil Jagielka but USA goalkeeper Tim Howard blocked his effort.
Ashdown pulled off a good save from an Arteta shot as Pompey kept the scores level at the interval.
Midfielder Jamie O'Hara came on at half-time for his final league appearance for Pompey before returning to parent club Tottenham at the end of the season.
Everton boss David Moyes brought on Nigeria striker Ayegbeni Yakubu 10 minutes later in a bid to break the deadlock, but it was Portsmouth who did get the ball in the net.
Anthony Vanden Borre's 58th-minute effort was ruled out for offside though, but television replays showed the Belgium defender was clearly being played onside by at least two players.
Piquionne rounded Howard before passing the ball to O'Hara, whose shot was tapped in at the back post by Vanden Borre, only for the linesman's flag to cut short the celebrations.
Moyes then threw on Bilyaletdinov in the 66th minute for Victor Anichebe.
Pompey's Hayden Mullins deflected a Leon Osman effort over and cleared a Saha effort off the line in the last 10 minutes. Hibbert and Saha then missed further chances.
Just as it seemed Pompey had clung on for a draw, Bilyaletdinov curled in a magnificent left-foot shot from outside the box to send them down to the Championship with one last body blow.
