It has been noble whilst it has lasted, but if Fulham are to magnify their eight-month Europa League adventure, they will have to better Juventus, one of the greats of European football, in the lapse leg of their round-of-16 tie at Craven Cottage on Thursday.
Not only flog them, either, but flog them great and correct after unfair first-half fortifying cost them a two-goal necessity in the primary leg at a frozen Stadio Olimpico last night. At slightest Dickson Etuhus afar idea has since them room with that to manoeuvre.
Actually a 2-0 win would do easily in West London and, pleasantness of Etuhus wickedly deflected set upon in northern Italy, it would be sufficient for Fulham to swell in to the quarter-finals.
How those at the Cottage would applaud that.
Related LinksHodgson happy to fool around story man Fulham hold organisation to challenge champions Zamora hands Fulham slight leadIt will be an sparkling diversion and Im certain the open will suffer it, Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, said. To measure dual goals and not concur any is a formidable charge but Ive positively seen foreigner things occur in my time in football.
Getting at the behind of to only 2-1 down, I thought we were pretty placed. It was in the hands then. But to concur again, and in added-on time in the primary half, unequivocally killed us. It was a bad idea to concede.
If it was bitterly cold last night, at slightest the blizzards of the prior day had changed on from Turin and the representation was ideally playable in front of a disappointingly half-full stadium. Nine mins in and Fulham were disappointingly 1-0 behind.
From a dilemma swung in by Diego, Nicola Legrottaglie, the Juventus centre back, rose alone to head past Mark Schwarzer, the round picking up gait as it skidded off the territory on the approach in. The deficiency of imprinting was inexcusable.
Fulham, though, do not miss idea and eleven mins later, in their 46th compare of the deteriorate and thirteenth in the competition, they could have drawn turn after Damien Duff had driven to the byline. The Ireland wingers pull-back all wrongfooted the Juventus counterclaim but Simon Davies, since a free shot, miskicked completely.
Juventus took heart from the slight shun and, after David Trezeguet had guided a long-range barb incompletely over Schwarzers crossbar, they increasing their lead. It came from an doubtful source Jonathan Zebina, the right at the behind of but was a high e.g. of finishing, his 25-yard shot arcing in to the net around the far post.
Resilience has been a key part in Fulhams European excursions and, in the 36th minute, they marked down the gap.
A free flog by Davies found the approach to Etuhu and nonetheless Alex Manninger, the Juventus and former Arsenal goalkeeper, appeared to have his shot covered, it veered in off a dismayed Legrottaglie.
Fulham could have equalised, Manninger carrying to save efforts from Brede Hangeland, Bobby Zamora and Zoltan Gera, but they went to nap at the at the behind of again. Schwarzer sloping over from Fabio Grosso but, from the following corner, Trezeguet squeezed the round home after his primary try had struck a post.
The second half meandered tediously but any thespian incident, though Gera did have a half-chance that was shut off and unsuccessful to difficulty Manninger, whilst Schwarzer was forced to have a excellent save to keep out a swirling bid from Diego in the last minute. At 4-1 down, Fulham would have been gone.
Tiredness might nonetheless be their greatest hindrance. Defeat at the Olimpico kicked off a punishing five-match spell in that they additionally fool around Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday, Juventus in the Europa return, Manchester City in the joining and Tottenham Hotspur in an FA Cup quarter-final replay at White Hart Lane.
We have had a lot of games and may be there was an component of tired tonight, Hodgson said. Perhaps we werent as lissome as we have been in a little of the games. This will positively be a contrast time for the continuance but were not out of this foe yet. Its not impossible.
Juventus (4-3-2-1): A Manninger J Zebina, N Legrottaglie, F Cannavaro, F Grosso H Salihamidzic (sub: M Camoranesi, 46min), C Poulsen (sub: M Sissoko, 76), C Marchisio A Candreva, Diego D Trezeguet (sub: V Iaquinta, 62). Substitutes not used: A Del Piero, Z Grygera, P De Ceglie, C Pinsoglio. Booked: Legrottaglie.
Fulham (4-2-3-1): M Schwarzer C Baird, B Hangeland, A Hughes, P Konchesky S Davies (sub: C Dempsey, 61), D Etuhu D Duff, Z Gera, J Greening R Zamora. Substitutes not used: S Kelly, E Nevland, P Zuberbühler, C Smalling, K Marsh-Brown. Booked: Greening.
Referee: F Meyer (Germany).
hair wig
No comments:
Post a Comment