Imani Lanquedoc and Terrell Works grabbed the goals as Fulham’s under 21s produced a fine fightback to knock Sporting Clube de Portugal B out of the Premier League International Cup at Craven Cottage this evening.

Hayden Mullins’ side recovered from the worst possible start as the dangerous visitors took the lead inside three minutes. The impressive Nilton Cardoso darted inside Devan Tanton and clipped a lovely ball into the box for Rafael Carmacho. The midfielder’s well-timed run was bettered by a brilliant finish to the delight of a sizeable Portuguese contingent inside the Johnny Haynes Stand.

Sporting could easily have made it two with Camacho, who was regularly popping up in dangerous positions, denied by Fulham goalkeeper Michael Allen after his shot from the edge of the area took a pair of deflections. The home side struggled for fluency in the first half, but dominated possession without posing too much of a threat to Guilherme Pires. The most likely source of an equaliser seemed to be down the right hand side with Tanton and Lemar Gordon teaming up effectively but Callum Osmand sent the best opportunity well over the bar.

The young Whites were fortunate not to go in further behind when, after Chibby Nwoko was cautioned for a poor tackle just outside the area, Luis Gomes curled a fabulous free-kick over the wall and against the crossbar with Allen left grasping at air. Mullins issued a stirring team-talk at half time and replaced Chibby Nwoko, booked for a poor tackle, with Imani Lanquedoc.

The impact was immediate as the Cottagers quickened the tempo of their passing and Fulham’s front four interchanged far more fluidly. Osmand, such a potent threat in the PL2 this season, drove over the bar after surging forward with intent but Lanquedoc, back from a strong loan stint with FC Haka, made the difference with composure on the ball and a series of clever runs.

The attacking midfielder ghosted into the box to guide home Lemar Gordon’s inch-perfect cut back and give Mullins’ side hope of reaching the last four. The leveller lifted the hosts with Osmand darting infield from the left wing and firing a shot into the side netting just three minutes later.

With the game in the balance, Sporting looked dangerous on the counter-attack. Substitute Gabriel Melo looked favourite to speed away from the Fulham defence and threaten Allen’s goal, but Eddy Nsasi didn’t panic and averted the danger with kind of composure that his characterised his super season. The home side were next to threaten with Gordon unleashing a piledriver from just outside the area that Pires did well to hold onto.

A lively crowd, supplemented by several secondary school students from Slough, roared Fulham forward and their intelligent wingers combined to complete the comeback. Gordon, who had roamed infield effectively through the second half, slipped a lovely ball behind the Sporting defence and Works kept his cool to chip Pires perfectly.

That set up a riveting final fifteen minutes with the visitors sacrificing defenders as they went all out for an equaliser that would have taken the tie to extra time. Dibley-Dias made a brilliant block to deny Rodrigo Viola deep into added time and Fulham survived the subsequent corner to seal a semi-final spot on a lively night by the River Thames.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Allen; Tanton, de Jesus, Nsasi, Esenga; Nwoko (Lanquedoc 45), Dibley-Dias; Gordon (Gofford 84), Works (McCoy-Splatt), Donnell; Osmand. Subs (not used): Underwood, Cooke, Olyott, Wingate.

BOOKED: Nwoko.

GOALS: Lanquedoc (57), Works (74).

SPORTING CLUB DE PORTUGAL B (4-2-3-1): Pires; Mohmade (Viola 80), Lee, Atanásio (Nikitenko 80), Marlon Junior; Baldé, Camacho; Arvelo (Anjos 68), Cardoso, Gomes; Marquês (Melo 68). Subs (not used): Palamarchuk, Clara, Iago.

GOAL: Camacho (3).

REFEREE: Paul Howard.