Middlesbrough 1-0 Fulham
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Paul Konchesky went
closest
for Fulham |
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Jeremie Aliadiere's early strike proved enough for Middlesbrough to beat Fulham
and all but banish relegation fears on a day which saw the long-awaited debut of
Brazilian Afonso Alves as a second-half substitute.
It was hardly the kind of encounter to have Premier League fans in Beijing or Dubai
slavering in anticipation, but the 57th-minute arrival of Alves at least lent the
afternoon some global appeal.
More important for Boro boss Gareth Southgate were three hard-earned points which
lifted them above Kevin Keegan's Newcastle and further
clear of the drop zone.
French striker Aliadiere sprung the visitors' offside trap to fire under Antti Niemi
from a tight angle, capping a bright start from the home side in which defender
Robert Huth also came close.
But as the afternoon progressed, Boro toiled and even the arrival of £12million
man Alves could not provide the necessary sparkle as Fulham grew in confidence and
had chances through Danny Murphy and Paul Konchesky.
Fears that Boro may feel the pressure in a game they really had to win were banished
by a bright start in which Downing forced a first-minute corner from which Huth
flashed just wide.
The home side were full of life, with Paul Stalteri forced to shepherd the ball
back to Niemi under pressure from Dong Gook Lee, and Downing lofting in a second
corner which Huth this time headed over the bar.
Boro took the lead in the 11th minute when Aliadiere, timing his run to perfection,
ran onto a Gary O'Neil through-ball and cut into the right side of the box before
firing low under Niemi from a tight angle.
The busy O'Neil sent a dangerous cross into the box in the 17th minute which was cleared out for a corner by Chris Baird and from the resulting set-piece Huth went
close again with another header over the bar.
| Match Stats |
Boro |
Fulham |
|
Goals |
1 |
0 |
|
Possession |
53% |
47% |
|
Goal attempts |
11 |
12 |
|
On Target |
6 |
5 |
|
Corners |
7 |
3 |
|
Off-sides |
5 |
3 |
|
Saves |
7 |
5 |
|
Fouls |
12 |
10 |
|
Yellows |
1 |
2 |
|
Reds |
0 |
0 |
|
source: Soccernet |
Shaken Fulham were forced to resort to long-range efforts to get back on level terms,
with Erik Nevland firing harmlessly over the bar in the 19th minute after being
teed up by Jimmy Bullard.
The Cottagers belatedly began to press, with Emanuel Pogatetz's failure to deal
with Konchesky's cross winning the visitors their first corner, from which Murphy's
effort was scrambled around the post by Schwarzer.
Aliadiere almost continued his productive afternoon when he ran through the Fulham
defence in the 29th minute before firing an ambitious low shot straight at Niemi.
Davies came close for Fulham in the 32nd minute when he was set up by Diomansy Kamara and he turned and fired a rising shot in the box which flashed just wide of the diving Schwarzer's right-hand post.
Lively Davies posed more problems as the half drew to a close, with Pogatetz forced
to get in a last-ditch clearance in the Boro box, while the home side laboured in
their bid to increase their lead.
Boro started the second half well and won another early corner, Downing's set-piece
once again finding the head of Huth, who this time directed a powerful header which
was saved by Niemi.
The visitors' indiscipline at the back was presenting Boro plenty of chances around
the box, but as long as Boro failed to grab the second goal, there remained the
very real possibility of Fulham drawing level.
The equaliser almost came in the 56th minute when Julio Arca hauled down Clint Dempsey
25 yards out on the right and Konchesky hit a curling left-foot free-kick which
Schwarzer got down well to save.
After O'Neil had poked an effort at Niemi at the other end in the 57th minute, Alves
made his long-awaited Boro debut, replacing the ineffective Lee to rapturous acclaim.
Dempsey fired just wide for the visitors, who continued to grow in confidence, and
Leon Andreasen forced another save out of Schwarzer with a 25-yard attempt in the
67th minute.
Alone up front, Alves did not have so much as a touch in his first 20 minutes of
Premier League action as Boro gave the distinct impression of being happy to hang
on for the points.
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson:
"It was a very gritty performance even though we went a goal down early.
"Our passing was good especially in the second half.
"We had longs periods of domination and if we had got a point nobody could have
said that we stole a point.
"It was difficult to break them down because they did not come out at us because
they did not need to because they were a goal up."
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Young, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz, O'Neil, Rochemback,
Arca, Downing, Aliadiere (Boateng 76), Lee (Alves 57).
Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Mido, Grounds.
Booked: Huth.
Goals: Aliadiere 11.
Fulham: Niemi, Stalteri, Baird, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Bullard,
Andreasen, Kamara (Dempsey 46), Nevland (McBride 64).
Subs Not Used: Keller, Volz, Bocanegra.
Booked: Kamara(22,f), Nevland(36,f).
Att: 26,885
Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).