Marcus Bettinelli praised Fulham’s character and passion after they fought back from 2-0 down to claim an unlikely point at Hull City yesterday.
The Fulham goalkeeper admitted that the side’s first half display at the KCOM Stadium was unacceptable, but was delighted with the response of his team-mates after the break. He told FulhamFCTV after the final whistle:
We went into half time bitterly disappointed. We knew that was nowhere near the level we played against Cardiff. We didn’t turn up [in the first half]. We all took responsibility for that. Second half we were a different side. We played with real aggression and passion at times and, considering how the first half went, I think we’re happy to take a point away.
Bettinelli was full of superlatives for the impact Aboubakar Kamara made after being introduced as a 40th minute substitute. The much maligned French striker won the penalty that gave Fulham hope, converted it himself and then scored a sensational second to steal a point with five minutes left.
I think Abou’s had his ups at the club so far, but to come on and win the penalty, take a great penalty and then the second goal is different class! I’ve only seen it from where I was stood, but it looked like a great finish. Absolutely unbelievable from Abou and [Neeskens] Kebano as well. They both changed the game for us and that’s what being a good team is all about.
Bettinelli also made a fine second half stop from Jarrod Bowen that kept Fulham in the contest, but he was typically modest about his own contribution to the comeback.
At 2-1 we were hanging in there and I knew we had to stay in it right until the end. It fell to his feet and thankfully I made a save. I made a save up at Sunderland and that didn’t come to anything, but thankfully the save today leads to us going and scoring and we leave here with a great point.
Bettinelli hailed Fulham’s fighting spirit to salvage a draw from a game that looked beyond them and hopes the Whites can take that momentum into January.
It was a totally different game to Cardiff. Against Cardiff we were at it from the start and it always looked like our game whereas today, in the first half, it only looked like only one team was going to win and that was them. We turned that around. We showed great passion and commitment. We said at half time, ‘whatever happens we go out and win this half and we turn up’ – and that’s what we did. To be two goals down and draw 2-2 away from home, we’ll take the positives and go from there.
