They will talk about it for years. The night Fulham welcomed
mighty Juventus, conceded a goal after a minute - and then scored
four to toss them out of Europe.
Not since the days of Johnny Haynes and George Cohen, or Bobby
Moore and George Best have Fulham caused such a stir.
Juve been framed: Clint Dempsey scores with a
clever chip over keeper Antonio Chimenti
Fulham (4-4-1-1):
Schwarzer 7; Kelly 7
(Dempsey 71, 7), Hangeland 7, Hughes 7, Konchesky 7; Duff 9, Baird
8, Etuhu 8,
Davies 7; Gera 9 (Riise 85); Zamora 9.
Booked: Konchesky.
Juventus (4-3-2-1):
Chimenti 6;
Salihamidzic 5, Zebina 5, Cannavaro 5,
Grosso 6 (Del Piero 85); Camoranesi 5
(De Ceglie 52, 5), Melo 5, Sissoko 5;
Diego 6, Candreva 6 (Grygera 29, 6);
Trezeguet 6.
Booked: Camoranesi, Diego, Melo.
Sent off: Cannavaro, Zebina.
Man of the match: Zoltan
Gera.
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers
(Holland).
They caused mayhem last night. If the Italian newspapers
proclaimed the death of Italian football when Milan were crushed
4-0 at Old Trafford, what will they think this morning?
Just 15 years ago Fulham were struggling to survive in the
bottom tier of English football but last night they comprehensively
outplayed the two-time European champions to achieve the most
famous win in their 131-year history.
Elated manager Roy Hodgson said: 'I think it must come close to
being the biggest win in our history. I think it's a remarkable
achievement for the boys. We should do a Rocky Marciano and retire
while the going's good because it's not going to get any
better.'
Sky high: Zoltan Gera jumps for joy after levelling
the tie on aggregate from the spot
The moment that best defined their supremacy arrived in the
closing stages, deep into stoppage time. Bobby Zamora, killing
time, played the ball off the legs of bewildered legendary Italian
striker Alessandro del Piero to win a corner. That's when you know
it's your night.
It hadn't started like that. Juventus had moved even further
clear in the tie with a goal that might have killed the evening.
David Trezeguet's initial overhead kick from a Hasan Salihamidzic
cross fell to Diego, who won a tussle with Aaron Hughes and Brede
Hangeland and stabbed the ball back to Trezeguet. The striker made
no mistake the second time, recovering his balance to slot a classy
finish into the corner.
Gaining momentum: Zoltan Gera grabs his first of
the night
At Stamford Bridge 24 hours earlier, Roy Hodgson had been mobbed
by the Italians of Inter Milan. Soon we were reminded why. The
former Inter coach is revered in Italy and the way his Fulham team
responded with pace and urgency further revealed his qualities.
Before kick off, Zamora - watched again by Fabio Capello - had
boasted about his plans to give 36-year-old World Cup winner Fabio
Cannavaro the run-around. Then he did exactly that.
The striker sent Cannavaro tumbling to the ground after seven
minutes and drove a right-foot shot from a Paul Konchesky cross
into the back of the net.
Did you hear about the Zoltans? Fulham fan Hugh
Grant texts the score to his celebrity mates
Bristling with attitude, Zamora was at the heart of an
encouraging first 20 minutes from Fulham. With Damien Duff, who was
rested for the first half of his side's 3-0 defeat by Manchester
United at the weekend, providing plenty of service from the right
wing, the striker looked every inch the powerful centre
forward.
In contrast Cannavaro, Italy's World Cup-winning captain, was
fortunate to escape censure for a deliberate push on Brede
Hangeland in the penalty box after 18 minutes.
The 6ft 5in Norway defender looked set to head a Simon Davies
corner past Antonio Chimenti until Cannavaro gave him a knowing
shove in the back.
Flattened: Zoltan Gera (left) was hauled down by
Fabio Cannavaro, with the Italian rewarded with an early bath for
his efforts
But the defender's luck ran out after 27 minutes. Dutch referee
Bjorn Kuipers showed a straight red card after Cannavaro found
himself the wrong side of Zoltan Gera and tried to shove his way
back into position with the striker through on goal after a pass
from Zamora.
Juventus threw on experienced Czech Republic defender Zdenek
Grygera to try and stem the flow of Fulham attacks, but their
defensive midfielders were leaving the back four far too exposed. A
Zamora free-kick was heading for the top left-hand corner until
Chimenti clawed it away and Davies hit the crossbar from another
set piece two minutes later. Zamora had the opportunity to stab
home the rebound from close range but could not quite react quickly
enough.
Fulham hit the bar again courtesy of a Dickson Etuhu header, but
went deservedly ahead after 39 minutes when Gera beat his man to
meet a Davies pass after an intelligent flick-on from Zamora. It
got even better at the start of the second half. A cute back heel
from Gera found Duff, whose cross hit Diego's right hand.
Level pegging: Bobby Zamora makes it 1-1 on the
night
Kuipers pointed to the spot and Gera's cool right-foot
conversion found the target to put Fulham level on aggregate after
49 minutes. Gera, who excelled once again in the second striker
role behind Zamora, appealed for another penalty after 61 minutes
when Paolo De Ceglie and Jonathan Zebina clashed in the area to
squeeze out the 30-year-old.
With Fulham in the ascendancy, Hodgson went for broke, sending
Clint Dempsey on in place of right back Stephen Kelly with 20
minutes to go.
The brave move nearly paid off immediately, as the irrepressible
Duff slid a ball across the six-yard box only for Gera and Zamora
to miss it by inches.
Off to a flyer: Mark Schwarzer fails to keep out
David Trezeguet's opener
And then the breakthrough came. Time seemed to stand still at
Craven Cottage as three Juventus defenders stood off Dempsey and
watched as he scooped a right foot shot over Chimenti and into the
back of the net in front of an ecstatic Hammersmith End.
Dempsey said: 'Nine times out of 10 a shot like that would not
have made it but sometimes you've got to go for it. Luckily it
worked tonight.'
Juventus' only response was a petulant kick at Duff by Zebina,
for which the defender earned a straight red card in stoppage
time.
This was Fulham's night - the best in their 131-year history.
From the brink of relegation to the quarter finals of the Europa
League in less than two years. Whoever would have thought it?
