A brace from Aaron Loupalo-Bi fired Fulham’s under 21s to a 3-1 win over Sparta Prague in the Premier League International Cup at Motspur Park last night.
The Whites, who drew their opening game in the competition against PSV earlier in the season, made a strong start and hit the front just six minutes in. Josh King won the ball off the visiting defence high up the pitch and burst in the box. The midfielder’s shot was parried by Joeri Jesse Heerkens, but Loupalo-Bi swooped in to rattle the rebound into the net.
King was running the show from the Fulham midfield. One mazy dribble created a shooting opportunity that whistled wide of the target before he hammered an effort against the frame of the goal from the acutest of angles. Fulham’s second came from a decidedly more route one approach. A long kick from Alex Borto was nodded into the path of Terrell Works by Loupalo-Bi and the winger raced clear of the Sparta defence and rolled an assured finish into the far corner of the net.
It could have been three before half-time but Jon Esenga’s penalty was brilliantly saved by Heerkens after Lemar Gordon had been brought down in the box. The full back put that behind him to create Fulham’s third with a lovely cross for Loupalo-Bi just after the break – with the striker guiding another excellent finish past an overworked Sparta goalkeeper.
Sparta kept pushing until the end despite the tie being beyond them. Full back Petr Hodous drilled an effort into the side netting before captain Mayas Jedlicka headed in a consolation goal after climbing highest at a corner. Borto prevented a grandstand finale by thwarting Matyas Poturnay after the Fulham defence had fallen asleep at a set-play and Hayden Mullins’ side were able to celebrate a comfortable victory.
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Borto; Gofford, Esenga, Amissah, Nsasi; Donnell, King (Quashie 69); Works (Osmand 69), Gordon (Ali Wahid 88), Sekularac; Loupalo-Bi (Nwoko 69). Subs (not used): Underwood, Picotto.
BOOKED: Amissah.
GOALS: Loupalo-Bi (6, 47), Works (33).
SPARTA PRAGUE UNDER 21s (4-4-1-1): Heerkens; Hodous, Uhrincat (Felt 45), Jedlicka, Rebbo; Okeke, Saal (Poturnay 45), Vana (Tesar 45), Osmani (Hruska 63); Siler; Michi (Weber 90+1). Subs (not used): Nalezinek, Vanek.
BOOKED: Heerkens, Hodous.
GOAL: Jedlicka (78).
