Fulham’s in-form forward Louis Saha set up a mouthwatering League Cup quarter-final at Liverpool by scoring a late winner to decide an enthralling tussle with Derby County at Craven Cottage this evening.
Jean Tigana’s side will travel to Anfield next month to test themselves against another Premiership outfit after outlasting Derby County in an absolute thriller by the banks of the Thames. The Rams went in front on twelve minutes through Malcolm Christie but Fulham, who have made an outstanding start to their pursuit of promotion to the top flight, refused to be overawed and Saha drove them level just before the half hour mark. American winger Eddie Lewis put the hosts ahead before Maik Taylor was beaten by a cross from Darryl Powell that hung in the breeze to ensure the sides went in locked together at half time.
A much more sedate and cagey second half didn’t produce any further goals until Saha struck with extra time in the offing. Saha soared superbly to head Bjarne Goldbaek’s free-kick over Mart Poom and into the net to score his twentieth goal of an already sensational season and offer Tigana’s team another test against top flight opposition. Fulham’s achievement was all the more impressive as they had prioritised their punishing league schedule, with Tigana leaving out Chris Coleman, Lee Clark and Steven Finnan.
Derby looked as if they welcomed the break from a torturous relegation battle as Craig Burley tested Maik Taylor’s reflexes with a piledriver from distance. The Northern Ireland goalkeeper was fortunate that nobody followed in the Scot’s rasping drive as he only held onto the loose ball at the second attempt. It was the Premiership who hit the front on twelve minutes when Branko Strupar, making a first appearance of the season after battling back from a double hernia operation, threaded a fine through ball between the Fulham defence – and Christie caressed a clever finish past Taylor.
Louis Saha set Fulham up for a mouthwatering quarter-final tie with Liverpool by scoring a last-gasp winner to settle a cracking Worthington Cup fourth-round tie.
Derby had taken the lead on 12 minutes at Craven Cottage through Malcolm Christie but the home side levelled through Saha on 27 minutes and Eddie Lewis put them deservedly in front on 38 minutes.
Darryl Powell’s intended cross turned into a pretty effective shot on the tricky breeze as Fulham goalkeeper Maik Taylor completely misjudged the swirling effort to put the Premiership strugglers in level at half-time.
But just as extra-time beckoned Saha rose highest to send a looping header over Mart Poom from Bjarne Goldbaek’s free-kick for his second of the night and 20th goal of the season.
It was difficult to tell at the start just which was the Premiership team and which the lower league opposition as Jean Tigana demonstrated both the confidence in his squad and where his priorities lie by leaving out first-team regulars Lee Clark, Chris Coleman and Steve Finnan.
And indeed with Fulham nine points clear at the top of the First Division and Derby next to bottom in the Premiership, there was only Bradford separating the two teams in the league ladder.
It was the visitors who had the first effort on target, however, Craig Burley testing Taylor from long range and the keeper grateful that no-one followed up the shot as he took two attempts to grasp the slippery ball.
And the hardy band of travelling Derby fans had reason to celebrate after just 12 minutes as Branko Strupar, making his first appearance since a double hernia operation, played a superbly-weighted through ball for Christie to run on to and calmly beat Taylor.
The home side almost levelled within a minute, Lewis’ first-time shot from the edge of the area bringing a smart save low down from Mart Poom.
Lewis almost equalised within a minute when his powerful drive required a fine save from Poom before Saha was denied a penalty to the fury of the home fans despite appeared to have been tripped in the area by Taribo West. Referee Peter Jones made himself even more unpopular with the normally mild-mannered Craven Cottage crowd when he failed to book Seth Johnson for a late lunge at Nicolas Sahnoun that had even the studious Tigana gesturing on the touchline in disgust.
Saha stayed focus and punished Poom’s ill-advised dash from his goalline at the subsequent free-kick by heading Fulham level and Barry Hayles nearly put the home side ahead three minutes later after a powerful run took him clear of three Derby defenders before he tested Poom’s agility with a rising drive. Lewis did deliver a second with a lovely left-footed finish after a patient move that involved Goldbaek and Fabrice Fernades.
But Taylor was embarrassed when he was caught out by Powell’s wind-assisted cross as Derby finished the first half strongly and the second period was a much more restrained affair. Rory Delap should have fired the Rams ahead when he connected with a deep Johnson cross but he screwed a shot wastefully wide at the back post. Taylor made two good saves to deny Danny Higginbotham and Johnson before Saha’s late looping header allowed Fulham to contemplate a visit to Merseyside in the last eight.
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor; W. Collins, Trollope, Melville, Symons; Sahnoun, Lewis, Goldbaek, Fernandes; Saha, Hayles. Subs (not used): Hahnemann, Finnan, Coleman, Clark, Boa Morte.
GOALS: Saha (28, 90), Lewis (39).
DERBY COUNTY (4-4-2): Poom, Bragstad, West, Higginbotham, Riggott; D. Powell, Delap, Burley, Johnson; Christie, Strupar (Burton 45). Subs (not used): Oakes, Martin, Eranio, Morris.
BOOKED: Riggott.
GOALS: Christie (13), D. Powell (45).
REFEREE: Peter Jones (Loughborough).
ATTENDANCE: 11,761.
