Europa League - Thursday 27th August 2009, 3:00 PM
FC Amkar Perm1
(0)
-
(0)
0
Fulham
Attendance: 20000
Referee: M Strömbergsson (SWE)
Match events
Telkiyski
60
Novakovic
60
62
Pantsil
Carlos
64
Zhilyaev
64
68
Nevland
68
Kamara
Grishin
76
Junuzovic
76
76
Riise
76
Seol
Belorukov
84
88
Baird
Kushev
90
Match review
Amkar Perm 1 - 0 Fulham (agg 2 - 3)
Fulham secured their place in the group stages of the Europa League but only after enduring a late scare against Russia's lively side Amkar Perm.
Perm dominated against Roy Hodgson's side, missing four injured players, and were rewarded with a last-minute headed winner by captain Martin Kushev.
They almost won the tie on away goals when Nikolai Zhilyaev blazed over in the final seconds from close-range.
Fulham rarely threatened but just did enough to ensure their progression.
It was an afternoon where the result out-weighed the manner of performance with the Fulham manager travelling to eastern Europe without Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Paul Konchesky, as well as striker Andy Johnson.
Johnson, who broke his collarbone in the 3-1 first-leg win a week ago, was replaced by former Manchester United forward Erik Nevland who was deployed up-front on his own.
With Hodgson cramming the midfield it was no surprise that Fulham seemed happy to sit back and soak up the pressure from a side entering this competition on the back of their best ever season in the Russian Premier League where they finished fourth.
| Match Stats |
FK Amkar |
Fulham |
| Goals |
1 |
0 |
| Possession |
56% |
44% |
| Goal attempts |
16 |
4 |
| On Target |
11 |
1 |
| Corners |
7 |
2 |
| Off-sides |
2 |
3 |
| Saves |
1 |
5 |
| Fouls |
10 |
9 |
| Yellows |
1 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: Soccernet |
Perm needed two goals and came close to breaking the deadlock in the opening 20 minutes with midfielder Vitali Grishin going close from a shot inside the penalty box.
With Grishin and Georgi Peev rampaging forward, along with the efforts of their talismanic lone striker Kushev, they came within inches of taking the lead after 28 minutes.
Carlos burst forward and drilled a stunning shot from the left but had to endure watching the athletic Australian keeper Schwarzer push the ball away.
The pattern of the game stayed the same in the second-half with Perm pushing strongly for the first strike.
Hodgson brought on Diomansy Kamara to replace Nevland on the hour and Fulham, at last, showed glimpses of creativity as Zoltan Gera and Dickson Etuhu both had shots drifting away from the target.
But the hearts of the Londoners will have fluttered in the last few minutes with the impressive Kushev grabbing a fully-deserved goal after heading in Peev's cross from the right.
Fulham almost saw their hard work undone with the last kick of the game when substitute Zhilyaev blasted over the bar from eight yards.
Amkar Perm: Narubin, Sirakov, Cherenchikov, Belorukov, Gaal, Peev, Drincic, Telkiyski (Novakovic), Grishin (Junuzovic), Jean Carlos (Zhilyaev), Kushev
Subs: Usminsky, Pomerko, William, Kalashnikov
Scorer: Kushev
Booking: Belorukov
Fulham:
Schwarzer, Kelly, Hughes, Hangeland, Pantsil, Gera, Riise (Seol), Etuhu,
Baird, Duff, Nevland (Kamara)
Subs: Stockdale, Eddie Johnson, Smalling, Saunders, Anderson
Booking: John Pantsil (63,f) Chris Baird (88,f)
Att: 20,000
Referee: Markus Strombergsson (Sweden)