|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Seol Ki-Hyeon gets
first goal of the season |
|
Hull manager Phil Brown included four new signings in his starting XI for the club's
first match in the top flight of English football.
Anthony Gardner, Geovanni, George Boateng and Marlon King took their places in the
side, with fellow summer recruits Craig Fagan, Bernard Mendy and Peter Halmosi on
the substitutes bench.
The inclusion of striker King, who signed on loan from Wigan earlier in the week,
ensured Hull's play-off final hero Dean Windass started on the bench.
With record £10.5million acquisition Andrew Johnson sidelined due to a thigh injury,
fellow new signing Bobby Zamora started on his own up front for the visitors.
However, goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, defender John Pantsil and midfielder Zoltan
Gera were handed their first league starts for the club after moving to Craven Cottage
in the summer.
Fulham, who won their last three away games of last season to stay up, created the
first opportunity after Seol Ki-Hyeon out-sprinted Michael Turner on the left, but
Simon Davies was unable to convert the cross.
Then Hull powered forward and came close to taking the lead.
Richard Garcia headed a cross from Andy Dawson's across goal, but debutant Schwarzer
produced a superb save to claw away Geovanni's goalbound header. Schwarzer then
recovered well to scramble clear Ian Ashbee's follow-up.
However, Fulham took advantage of some poor defending to open the scoring after
just eight minutes.
Jimmy Bullard was given plenty of time to cross from the right wing, and Seol burst
into the penalty area to beat Bo Myhill with an angled header into the bottom-left
corner.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Hull, and Davies came close to adding a second
when his drive from 15 yards deflected over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Bullard's delivery was fired just over by Pantsil, and
from another corner moments later, Davies' acrobatic volley flew just wide as Fulham
began to dominate.
However, out of nowhere, Hull levelled the score in the 22nd minute with a magnificent
strike from Geovanni.
The Brazilian, who joined from Manchester City on a free transfer in the summer,
cut inside from the right flank and curled a tremendous left-footed shot into the
left corner from 20 yards.