Teams

Fulham

Mark Schwarzer, Paul Konchesky, John Pantsil, Brede Hangeland, Andrew Johnson, Zoltan Gera, Danny Murphy (C), Aaron Hughes, Dickson Etuhu, Clint Dempsey, Bobby Zamora

Subs: David Stockdale (GK), Stephen Kelly, Chris Baird, Seol Ki-Hyeon, Erik Nevland, Bjorn Helge Riise, Eddie Johnson

FK Vetra

Povilas Valincius, Valdemar Borovskij (C), Tadas Kijanskas, Algis Jankauskas, Evaldas Grigaitis, Gediminas Paulauskas, Nerijus Vasiliauskas, Robertas Vezevicius, Marius Stanaitis, Tomas Razanauskas, Mindaugas Grigalevicius

Subs: Mantas Galdikas (GK), Janusz Bucholc, Bertrand Ngapounou, Jevgenji Moroz, Arturas Zulpa, Gajus Kulbis, Tadas Eliosius

Match Report

The Club, players and supporters paid tribute to Sir Bobby Robson before kick-off by observing a one-minute silence to the legendary former Fulham player and England manager.

The visitors from Vilnius got the game underway on an extremely slick surface. A severe downpour preceded kick-off at Craven Cottage on a humid summer evening.

 After just two minutes of play Bobby Zamora produced a superb turn and shot on the edge of the area which flew just wide of goal. It was a great piece of skill by the striker early on which almost extended Fulham's aggregate lead.

Fulham were camped inside FK Vetra’s half during the opening exchanges. Quick one-touch passing created the space with Dempsey and Konchesky enjoying the freedom to exploit the space down the left flank.

After Fulham’s early surge the game entered a quiet phase but after 11 minutes Razanauskas fired in a long-range effort, which was heading for the roof of the net. Fortunately Schwarzer was well positioned to tip the ball over the cross bar.

To their credit, Fulham’s goal advantage from the first leg certainly didn’t affect FK Vetra’s enthusiasm and energy for the tie. On 21 minutes left back Paulauskas launched a 35-yard left-footed shot on goal from the left channel that whistled just wide of Schwarzer’s near post.

Five minutes after Paulauskas’ thunderous effort Fulham almost broke the deadlock twice in as many minutes. First Bobby Zamora tried the spectacular when he attempted to volley the ball goalwards as it dropped over his left shoulder. The ball skimmed wide but it was a worthy effort by the striker.

Seconds later Dempsey drifted down the left flank before producing a superbly disguised reverse pass to Konchesky.  Konchesky’s cross was met in the area by Johnson whose headed effort came back off the crossbar. Gera attempted to fire in the rebound but his shot was blocked on the line. 

On the half hour mark, Paul Konchesky almost produced an early contender for goal of the season. The left back collected the ball 30 yards from goal down the left flank and as he assessed his options the home crowd screamed ‘shoot’. ‘Konch’ duly obliged and his shot screamed just wide of the far post.

Five minutes before the break Clint Dempsey latched onto Johnson’s cross from the right and executed a fine half volley from the edge of the area. The ball had FK Vetra keeper Valincius beaten but the ball was always rising and the American’s effort flew above the bar.

Fulham certainly enjoyed the majority of possession and chances in the first half but failed to deliver a cutting edge to extend their three-nil aggregate lead before the Referee’s whistle blew for half time.

Fulham remained unchanged for the second half and immediately set about attacking towards the Hammersmith End. After barely a minute Johnson fired the ball into the back of the net from the centre of the area but the Referee’s whistle had already blown for an earlier infringement.

Two minutes later Bobby Zamora was next to try his luck with a shot from the left hand side of the area, which was deflected just wide for a corner. From the resulting set piece Fulham’s players were appealing for a penalty followed an alleged handball but the Referee waved play on.

The breakthrough eventually came after 56 minutes when Etuhu met Murphy’s corner and sent a glancing header into the far corner of the net. Etuhu, absent from last week’s away leg due to the birth of his child, celebrated with a customary cradle rock amongst his team mates.

Andy Johnson was certainly looking to make his mark on Thursday night. The striker’s movement was impressive, constantly looking to exploit any space down the channels. Gera and Johnson were certainly on the same wavelength with the Hungarian producing a host of angled passes into the striker’s path from midfield.

The downpour continued during the second half and almost verged on the tropical as the game entered the final twenty minutes. On 73 minutes Gera was left grounded after a fifty-fifty challenge with Paulauskas down the left flank. Gera returned to the action after treatment on the sidelines.

Bobby Zamora produced another superb turn on the half way line to set himself free on goal with fifteen minutes remaining. As the striker entered the area he selflessly crossed the ball to the incoming Johnson. The pace of the ball just beat Johnson as it skidded across the six-yard line.

With thirteen minutes remaining Hodgson made two changes, introducing Stephen Kelly and Bjorn Helge Riise for John Pantsil and Zoltan Gera respectively.

Johnson doubled Fulham’s lead ten minutes from time, latching on to Dempsey’s cross from the left to fire the ball home from close range to increase the Whites lead to two-nil.

Johnson’s strike partner Bobby Zamora was replaced by Eddie Johnson with nine minutes remaining. Two minutes later Andy Johnson grabbed his second goal of the game. Eddie Johnson created the chance with a cross from the left, which Andy Johnson tapped in from close range.

The Hammersmith End’s chant of ‘there’s only one Bobby Robson’ during the closing stages of the game was a fitting end to Thursday night’s European tie.

Fulham’s three-nil win at the Cottage secured a six-nil aggregate score line against their Lithuanian opponents and Roy Hodgson’s team will find out their next European opponents in Friday’s Europa draw.

Roy's Reaction

“All teams make matches difficult if they work hard and are organised and get players back behind the ball.  I have to say our attitude and approach was right from the very first minute.

At half time we could have quite easily been leading and I don’t think the score line flatters us particularly. I thought we were very good value for our three goals.

“These games can really be unpleasant banana skins if your attitude is not spot on and if you don’t play good football you can slip up but I was pleased of course with result and that we’re through.

“I’m also pleased with the quality of our football tonight. The quality of our passing and movement was very good. It got us three goals and it could have got us a lot more.

"The quality of our passing and movement was really a little bit too good for them and as the game wears on and they start to tire that’s when the chances mount up. The most important thing for me was the way we approached the game.

"We got another good 90 minutes very good fitness out of it. It was an excellent final game before our opening game of the season against Portsmouth.

“Next week of course we lose a lot of players to international football so it was this week really that gave us our last chance to prepare and work with the eleven who might be starting against Portsmouth because so many of that eleven will disappear next week.”

 

View Minute by Minute|