Fulham pulled off their greatest result in European competition
last night to set up a last-16 clash with the mighty Juventus.
However, their success was marred by an injury-time red card for
Danny Murphy, who was judged to have kicked out at right back
Darijo Srna by the corner flag.
The midfielder will miss at least the first leg against the
Italian giants, who later in the evening saw off Ajax thanks to a
goalless draw which earned a 2-1 aggregate win.
Joy: Brede Hangeland (left) celebrates with his
Fulham team-mates
Roy Hodgson hailed Shakhtar as the best side he had faced in 35
years of management, but his troops thwarted the UEFA Cup holders
thanks to stunning defensive performances from centre-half Brede
Hangeland and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Hangeland was also the hero at the other end, heading a
33rd-minute goal against the run of play that Shakhtar never quite
recovered from.
Jadson pulled one back with 21 minutes to play, but Fulham held
on, restricting the home side to mostly long-range efforts and
taking advantage of a 2-1 lead from the first leg.
Brave: Brede Hangeland (top left) scores
But Bobby Zamora, who pushed his England claims with a
hard-working performance as an often isolated lone striker, may
have lost his chance of being called up by Fabio Capello by
aggravating an achilles injury that forced him off with 18 minutes
to play.
'This Shakhtar team is as good as any team I have come across in
35 years, and perhaps over two games, they may feel they deserved
to win,' said Hodgson.
It has been a wonderful night for the club. Shakhtar showed what
a good team they are; their ability to pass and keep the ball is as
good as I've seen.
'Most of the testing came from long shots, which was a credit to
us. The only thing that marred the evening was the
sending-off.'
Fulham will not appeal the decision, but the normally placid
Hodgson did lose his rag after a hard challenge minutes before left
Damien Duff floored.
Ilsinho was booked and Hodgson appeared to lay into the wrong
man - impressive substitute Douglas Costa - for which he
apologised.
This was supposed to have been a night when a Shakhtar victory
followed Donetsk celebrating the inauguration of local man Viktor
Yanukovych as the country's president.
A pre-match poll on the club's website had asked not if Shakhtar
would win, but by which scenario.
The hard yards: Bobby Zamora battles with the
Shakhtar defence
Both clubs put out the same line-ups as in the first legs and
Shakhtar started at a frantic pace. Neither of Fulham's English
left backs could stake their claim to replace Wayne Bridge in Fabio
Capello's thoughts, with Paul Konchesky still out with an ankle
injury and on-loan Nicky Shorey not part of the UEFA squad.
While they could have been accused of trying to walk the ball
into the net a week before, this time they set about peppering
Schwarzer's goal from distance as soon as they got sight.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
(4-2-3-1):
Pyatov 5; Srna 6, Kucher 6, Rakitskiy 5,
Rat 5; Hubschman 6 (Kravchenko 46min, 6) Fernandinho 6; Ilsinho 7,
Jadson 7, Willian 7 (Douglas Costa 53, 7); Luiz Adriano 5 (Gladkiy
76). Booked: Ilsinho.
FULHAM (4-4-1-1):
Schwarzer 8; Baird 6,
Hughes, 6 Hangeland 8, Kelly 6; Duff 7,
Murphy 6, Etuhu 5, Davies 5 (Riise 89);
Gera 5; Zamora 7 (Elm 72, 6).
Booked: Gera. Sent off: Murphy.
Man of the match: Mark
Schwarzer.
Referee: Svein Oddvar
Moen (Nor).
By half an hour in, they had racked up 11 shots and nine
corners, but it was Fulham who took the lead with their first
meaningful attack.
Zamora won a free-kick down the right, Murphy crossed it in and
Hangeland nodded in only his third Fulham goal from eight
yards.
The crowd of almost 50,000 were silenced and Shakhtar struggled
to retain their composure, seeming to get in their way and firing
increasingly poor long-range efforts as the break approached.
The Ukrainians were better after boss Mircea Lucescu had got at
them, but Fulham's defence - Hangeland in particular - blocked
everything thrown at them Shakhtar improved with the introduction
of Douglas Costa, who fashioned the equaliser by skinning Stephen
Kelly and cutting it back from the right for Jadson to score from
10 yards.
But the winner never came. Lucescu cried conspiracy, claiming
the Norwegian officials embraced with their Fulham compatriots at
the end. Fulham deserved their glory, though.
