Fulham (0) 2 NK Dinamo Zagreb (0) 1
Agg: 5-1
Fulham overcame the demons which are threatening their season to record another ultimately impressive, if not always convincing, European success.
Beaten in their last four Premiership outings, they followed their 3-0 first leg win in Zagreb by stealing two goals in the final two minutes to extend their unbeaten run in Europe to 12 games.
 |
| Steed Malbranque |
Fulham were trailing 1-0 on the night, to Ivan Olic's early second-half goal but the arrival off the bench of Steed Malbranque turned the game Fulham's way with the Frenchman scoring the equaliser and then making the winner for Luis Boa Morte in added time.
Dinamo coach Miroslav Blasevic made three changes from the first leg while Jean Tigana made four alterations from the team which did so well in Zagreb. Junichi Inamoto, Lee Clark, Facundo Sava and Bjarne Goldbaek were all drafted in while Steve Marlet, Steed Marlbranque, Martin Djetou and Abdes Ouaddou were all rested to the bench.
The early signs were promising for Fulham with Clark setting up Sylvain Legwinski for a long-range effort which was just off target.
Boa Morte, who scored the first goal in the first leg, was denied again, by Turina at the near post and then Inamoto was unfortunate not to open the night's scoring with a shot which rose just wide of the right post.
Zagreb threatened briefly but Fulham ended the first half with another effort, Boa Morte flashing a shot across goal.
However, as the game progressed so Dinamo improved and, having made important saves to deny Dumitru Mitu and Bosko Balaban, Edwin van der Sar was beaten in the 51st minute.
Mitu's cross fell invitingly to Ivica Olic and Croatian football's top scorer last season outjumped Inamoto to direct a header underneath the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper.
Having overcome some pressure, Fulham responded in the 88th minute when Malbranque converted Bjarne Goldbaek's pass. And in added time, Malbranque fed Boa Morte for the winner.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Melville, Goma, Brevett, Goldbaek, Clark (Djetou 73), Inamoto (Malbranque 64), Legwinski, Sava (Marlet 60), Boa Morte.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Ouaddou, Wome, Stolcers.
Goals: Malbranque 89, Boa Morte 90.
Dinamo Zagreb: Turina, Sedloski, Smoje, Cesar, Mikic, Kranjcar (Juric 77), Agic, Mitu, Krznar, Olic, Balaban.
Subs Not Used: Butina, Mujcin, Zahora, Petrovic, Bosnjak, Drpic.
Booked: Smoje, Cesar.
Goals: Olic 52.
Agg (5-1)
Att: 7,700
Ref: Laurent Duhamel (France).