Fulham’s long road to Hamburg (twice) and the Uefa Europa League Final
Roy Hodgson’s Fulham enter battle against Atlético Madrid in the Europa League final tonight, but after a mammoth European campaign that has taken in seven countries and will tonight produce its 19th game, the west Londoners will hold few fears going to Hamburg. Here is how they got there, twice:
1. July 30th 2009: FK Vetra 0 Fulham 3, third qualifying round, first leg
It’s the end of July, and Fulham are kicking off their odyssey in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, and taking on last season’s Lithuanian league runners-up FK Vetra. A Bobby Zamora strike on the stroke of half-time put the Londoners ahead, before a Danny Murphy penalty and a late Seol Ki-Hyeon goal wrapped up the win and made the second leg academic.
2. August 6th 2009: Fulham 3 FK Vetra 0, third qualifying round, second leg (Fulham win 6-0 on aggregate)
The result of the tie was never in doubt, but 15,000 people still crammed into Craven Cottage to see the old ground host its’ first European football for six years. Dickson Etuhu’s header broke the deadlock in the second period, before a late brace from Andy Johnson sealed an easy victory and a place in the playoff round.
3. August 20th 2009: Fulham 3 Amkar Perm 1, play-off round, first leg
A comfortable home win over the Russians was marred by a late away goal and a sickening injury to Johnson. The former Everton and England striker had given Fulham an early lead before sustaining a dislocated collarbone following a tough challenge from Dmitry Belorukov; he wouldn’t fully recover for the rest of the season. Clint Dempsey and Zamora put Fulham 3-0 up, before a late strike from substitute Vitali Grishin raised Russian hopes for the second leg.
4. August 27th 2009: Amkar Perm 1 Fulham 0, playoff round, second leg (Fulham win 3-2 on aggregate)
Fulham survived an almighty scare in Perm – the easternmost city in Russia – but eventually made it into the group stages. Martin Kuchev’s last minute strike gave the hosts the win on the night, and only some desperate last ditch defending from the visitors prevented what would have been a tie-winning goal in stoppage time.
5. September 17th 2009: CSKA Sofia 1 Fulham 1, Group E
A draw was a decent result for Fulham in their opening group match in the Bulgarian capital, especially after substitute Michel had given the hosts the lead just after the hour mark. Diomansy Kamara’s quickfire equaliser brought the scores level, and a much changed Fulham held on for a point.
6. October 1st 2009: Fulham 1 FC Basel 0, Group E
Murphy’s solitary goal was enough to give Fulham their first win of the group stages. The skipper latched onto the temporarily fit-again Johnson’s cutback and found the net from the edge of the penalty area to see off the Swiss side, putting Fulham top of the group.
7. October 22nd 2009: Fulham 1 Roma 1, Group E
There was late heartbreak for Fulham in this one, after they had led the Serie A giants for over an hour. Brede Hangeland’s header midway through the first half gave the hosts a deserved advantage, which they held well into the second half when a driving run from former Liverpool man John Arne Riise resulted in him being hauled down by Stephen Kelly, and Kelly was sent off. Mark Schwarzer saved Jeremy Menez’s resultant penalty, but a 93rd minute strike from defender Marco Andreolli rescued a point for the Italians.
8. November 5th 2009: Roma 2 Fulham 1, Group E
No brotherly love here. Kamara’s penalty had put Fulham ahead in the Italian capital, before Erik Nevland was harshly sent off for the visitors early in the second half. Roma responded, and Riise saw his free kick deflect in off his brother, Fulham’s Bjorn Helge, before Stefano Okaka – who would become a Fulham player later in the season – nodded in a late winner. Paul Konchesky’s last minute red card saw the visitors reduced to nine men.
9. December 3rd 2009: Fulham 1 CSKA Sofia 0, Group E
A nervy night at Craven Cottage was settled by Zoltan Gera’s early strike. Murphy had missed an even earlier penalty before Gera headed in Riise’s cross for the only goal of the game. Damien Duff cleared a Kosta Yanev effort off the line late on.
10. December 16th 2009: FC Basel 2 Fulham 3, Group E
It was win or bust on a snowy night in Switzerland, and a Zamora-inspired Fulham made it through to the next round. Two goals in the closing stages of the first half from the re-born striker put the Londoners on their way, but Alexander Frei’s penalty halved their advantage in the second period. Gera’s sidefooted finish put his side 3-1 up, and although nerves jangled when Marco Streller pulled one back late one, Hodgson’s men held on.
11. February 18th 2010: Fulham 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 1, round of 32, first leg
The holders turned up at Craven Cottage, and were quickly behind when Gera found the net with a low effort, before Luiz Adriano fired in what many thought would be a crucial away goal. Zamora settled the game on the night with a goal fit to win any match. Collecting the ball 25 yards out, he smashed in a shot off the underside of the crossbar with his right foot.
12. February 25th 2010: Shakhtar Donetsk 1 Fulham 1, round of 32, second leg (Fulham win 3-2 on aggregate)
The Ukrainians – terrific at home – were widely tipped to go through, but they were shocked by Hangeland’s first half header. Rodriguez Jadson’s strike levelled the scores on the night, and despite late pressure from the hosts to try and hold onto their crown, a dogged Fulham held on against all odds, despite the night being soured by Murphy’s late red card.
13. March 11th 2010: Juventus 3 Fulham 1, round of 16, first leg
Surely this was the end of the line. Nicola Legrottaglie and Jonathan Zebina – sublimely – put the Italian giants 2-0 up in a virtually empty Stadio Olimpico, but Etuhu’s fortunate deflected effort gave the visitors an away goal. David Trezeguet’s goal in the dying stages of the first half put Juve 3-1 up, and while the Turin giants did push for a fourth in the second half, they must have been satisfied they had enough of an advantage to go through. Surely?
14. March 18th 2010: Fulham 4 Juventus 1, round of 16, second leg (Fulham win 5-4 on aggregate)
What a night. Trezeguet made it 4-1 on aggregate with his second minute strike, before Zamora restored what little hope Fulham had left by holding off Fabio Cannavaro and firing home. Italian captain Cannavaro was then harshly sent off for a tug on Gera, and that was all the motivation Fulham needed. Gera fired in from close range before half time, and then converted a penalty early in the second period after Duff’s cross was handled by Diego. With eight minutes to go and the tie headed for extra time, Clint Dempsey climbed off the bench to produce a superb chip over the head of Antonio Chimenti to put Fulham ahead on aggregate for the first time in the tie. Not even the introduction of Alessandro Del Piero could inspire Juve, and the greatest night in Fulham’s history – for now – was complete. Amazing.
15. April 1st 2010: Fulham 2 Wolfsburg 1, quarter final, first leg
It wasn’t an April Fool, Fulham really did beat the German champions, but the concession of a late away goal looked costly. Zamora and Duff found the net either side of the hour mark to send Craven Cottage into dreamland, but Alexander Madlung’s late header looked to have given the Germans the advantage heading into the second leg.
16. April 8th 2010: Wolfsburg 0 Fulham 1, quarter final, second leg (Fulham win 3-1 on aggregate)
If there were any nerves heading to Germany, they were dispelled within 21 seconds of kick-off. Zamora’s neat turn and finish put Fulham 3-1 up on aggregate, leaving Wolfsburg needing to score two goals to force extra time. Some determined defending and inspired goalkeeping from Mark Schwarzer ensured that that was never really going to happen, and Hodgson and Fulham were into the semi-finals.
17. April 22nd 2010: Hamburg 0 Fulham 0, semi-final, first leg
They made it there, eventually. Both Fulham and Liverpool had to endure long haul journeys to their semi-finals (Liverpool to Madrid), with Fulham’s players breaking into an impromptu kickabout on the side of German autobahn when they were stuck in traffic. It obviously worked, as the Whites held out for a goalless draw, with Schwarzer the star. All eyes were now on west London.
18. April 29th 2010: Fulham 2 Hamburg 1, semi-final, second leg (Fulham win 2-1 on aggregate)
Surely this was it. Trailing to Mladen Petrić’s stunning first-half free-kick with just over 20 minutes remaining, Fulham had to score twice to make it through. Hamburg were holding on to try and reach the final – held in their own stadium – but the Germans were rocked when Simon Davies sublimely controlled a Murphy pass and finished off a post to level the scores on the night. Hamburg were still going through on away goals though, but not when Gera capitalised on hesitation from a corner to smash home from close range, sparking delirious scenes at the Cottage. The referee’s whistle sounded the end of an astonishing journey. Fulham are in the final, now what awaits them tonight?
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