Fulham comfortably into Europa League first round
Hodgson will have been encouraged by his side's performance this evening
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Thursday, 06, Aug 2009 10:14
By Rob Swan
Fulham secured their place in Friday's Europa League first round draw after a convincing 3-0 (6-0 agg.) win over FK Vetra.
A Dickson Etuhu goal and a late Andy Johnson brace sealed the Cottagers' passage into Friday's draw on a soaking wet night in west London, as the home side comfortably saw off their Lithuanian opponents.
Fulham started brightly with Client Dempsey and Bobby Zamora both going close to breaking the deadlock in the opening few minutes.
Roy Hodgson's side continue to dominate for the next ten minutes as the Lithuanians struggled to find their feet in the match.
However, 33-year-old veteran Tomas Razanauskas sparked the Cottagers' goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer into action with an audacious effort from 30 yards after 13 minutes.
Normal service was resumed soon after when Arsenal target Brede Hangeland went close to extending Fulham's aggregate lead after 20 minutes. Paul Konchesky's outswinging corner met the head of the Norwegian - but the defender failed to direct his header on target.
Fulham came closest to breaking the first half stalemate five minutes later when another Konchesky cross from the left-wing was met by the lively Johnson, who headed onto Vetra's crossbar. The ball then fell to Zoltan Gera, but the Hungarian's shot was cleared off the line by left-back Gediminas Paulauskas.
The home side continued to exert their dominance over their opponents and both Johnson and Konchesky went close to scoring that elusive first goal, and with four minutes remaining in the first half, Dempsey almost made the Cottagers' dominance tell.
His first time shot from a Johnson cutback inside the penalty area whistled over the crossbar, as the sides went into the break all square.
The second half began where the first half had left off, and a minute after the break Johnson had the ball in the back of the net, but his goal was ruled out for a push by the former Everton striker inside the 18 yard box, despite no flag being raised by the assistant referee.
Hodgson's side remained composed, however, and the deadlock was eventually broken on 56 minutes.
Another corner from the indefatigable Konchesky found midfielder Etuhu on the edge of the six yard box - and the Nigerian international celebrated the birth of his first son at the weekend by drifting away from his marker and heading the ball into the far corner of the net.
Etuhu's goal ended any hope Vetra had of finding a way back into the match as Fulham's aggregate lead was extended to four goals, and it was nothing less than the home side deserved despite Vetra's valiant efforts of keeping the Cottagers at bay for almost an hour.
Stephen Kelly and Bjorn Helge Riise then made their first appearances for Fulham with 15 minutes remaining, and five minutes later the Cottagers added a second goal to the scoreline.
A great piece of skill from USA international Dempsey on the left wing was followed up by a dangerously whipped in cross from the left. And it was Johnson who stole in at the near post ahead of Tadas Kijanskas to grab a deserved goal, putting Fulham 2-0 up in the process.
Then with five minutes remaining, Dempsey - Fulham's creative spark - was once again at the heart of the Cottagers' attack and fed a clever disguised through ball to substitute Eddie Johnson, and it was his low ball across the six yard box that was tapped in by his namesake Andy from two yards out, ensuring Fulham won their first European tie for more than six years.