Fulham 2 Dynamo Zagreb 1
(Fulham win 5-1 on agg)
Late goals by Steed Malbranque and Luis Boa Morte rescued Fulham’s unbeaten record in European competition at Loftus Road last night, but if Jean Tigana’s side were happy to progress in the Uefa Cup, they will be concerned that their patchy Barclaycard Premiership form showed little sign of improvement.
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Fulham midfielder Bjarne Goldbaek’s diagonal pass through the defence set up the first goal
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Fulham remain undefeated in 12 matches in their first European campaign, but looked more like the side that has lost four successive league games than the confident unit who had won the first leg of this tie 3-0. Their sloppiness could have cost them more than one away goal, and made for a tense finale.
Tigana had said that this match represented an opportunity to build confidence, but he admitted that it had not had that effect, and instead of watching today’s draw for the third round he will be preparing for Sunday’s league match away to Birmingham City. “For me, the priority is Sunday’s game, not the draw,” he said. “We have to win that. We have problems, but I know how it’s possible to progress.”
An open game turned Dynamo’s way after six minutes of the second half. Junichi Inamoto, inexplicably the only player covering at the far post as Dimitru Mitu curled in a cross, was easily outjumped by Ivica Olic and the Croatia forward sent a perfectly placed header back across Edwin van der Sar and into the bottom corner, to the delight of the visiting supporters among a disappointing crowd of 7,700.
That was the signal for Tigana to send on Malbranque, whom he had rested initially but was desperately needed now. Before he could settle the nerves, though, Olic miscued a shot when well-placed and Mitu, the most creative Dynamo player in both legs, forced one of a number of excellent saves from Van der Sar.
With one minute to go, Bjarne Goldbaek’s diagonal pass through the defence gave Malbranque, the former France Under-21 captain, the chance to round Ivan Turina and slide home the equaliser.
In injury time Malbranque burst through on the left before setting up Boa Morte, who had been wasteful earlier, with a chance that even he could not miss.
FULHAM (4-4-2): E van der Sar — S Finnan, A Melville, A Goma, R Brevett — B Goldbaek, S Legwinski, L Clark (sub: M Djetou, 73min), J Inamoto (sub: S Malbranque, 64) — F Sava (sub: S Marlet, 60), L Boa Morte.
Substitutes not used: M Taylor, A Ouaddou, P Wome, A Stolcers.
DYNAMO ZAGREB (3-5-2): I Turina — G Sedloski, D Smoje, B Cesar — M Mikic, N Kranjcar (sub: M Juric, 76), J Agic, D Mitu, D Krznar — B Balaban, I Olic.
Substitutes not used: T Butina, E Mujcin, D Zahora, S Bosnjak, V Petrovic, D Drpic.
Booked: Smoje, Cesar.
Referee: L Dahanel (France).