Zamora helps Fulham remain on course for Europa League glory
Bobby Zamora, where did it all go so right?
The 29-year-old has endured a largely turbulent career over the past decade and has attracted more than his fair share of critics. However, now firmly settled at Fulham, the striker has established himself as the club’s most valuable asset; and it was he who inspired the Cottagers to the semi-finals of the Europa League, last night in Germany.
Reigning Bundesliga champions, Wolfsburg, were the strong favourites ahead of this fixture, despite Fulham’s one-goal advantage from the first leg. With one of the most formidable attacking line-ups in the Europa League, the Premier League side could have been forgiven for giving a little too much respect to their opponents.
Zamora, though, was not prepared to do anything of the sort. Just 21 seconds into the match, the man on the cusp of an England call-up turned Jan Simunek in one glorious move and then produced a composed finish with his trusty left boot to give his side a vital away goal.
In previous seasons, you would have said that goal was more Zidane than Zamora; but the Fulham striker continues to defy the doubters with moments of individual brilliance such as that.
Credit must go to not only the man himself for the best season of his career, but also the manager who came to Fulham and put his faith in the much-maligned forward.
It’s a term bandied around all too often in football, but Roy Hodgson truly has been a revelation since arriving at Craven Cottage in 2007. After masterminding the west-London club to an against-all-odds victory over Juventus in the previous round of the European tournament, this latest away win in Germany outlines how far the club have come in such a short space of time.
Now firmly in unchartered territory, with their sights set on the most momentous achievement of their 131-year history, can unfashionable Fulham really go on and win the Europa League this May?
If they do perform this minor miracle, then Hodgson will have to be a shoe-in for the Manager of the Year award. Fortunately for the Premier League outfit, the Europa League semi-final draw has been kind to the Cottagers, and they have avoided the prospect of facing either Liverpool or Atlético Madrid – at least until the final.
However, Fulham’s opponents, Hamburg, have proved themselves as tough opponents in this season’s tournament -last night’s 3-1 away victory against Standard Liege proved just that. And they now have a certain Ruud van Nistelrooy in their ranks. A man who made a habit of scoring one, two or even three goals every time Manchester United faced the Cottagers during his spell at Old Trafford.
Football romantics will be willing Fulham to go all the way and lift the inaugural Europa League trophy next month. But the final will be contested at the home ground of their semi-final opponents – an extra-incentive if ever they needed one.
Following their victories against Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg; Hodgson won’t be overly-concerned with the ability of his opponents. After all, at this stage, every team will be capable of lifting the trophy.
With momentum in full swing, Hodgson at the helm and Zamora in top form – Fulham simply won’t get a better opportunity to lift a major European trophy for a long, long time.
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