A late strike from substitute Louis Saha secured a slender first leg lead for Fulham in their InterToto Cup third round clash with Greek club FC Egaleo as the Whites said goodbye to Craven Cottage this afternoon.
Fulham’s final game at their historic home before they groundshare with neighbours Queens Park Rangers during proposed redevelopment looked set to be a soporific stalemate until Saha, surprising left on the bench by Jean Tigana, converted a cross from fellow substitute Barry Hayles with thirteen minutes to play.
The home side were in control of this contest from the outset with the Greeks content to play on the counter and give Fulham possession. For the third InterToto outing in succession, though, Tigana would have been disappointed with how little his side created. French under-21 international Steed Malbranque, a shining light during the Cottagers’ first campaign back in the top flight for 33 years last term, came closest to opening the scoring when he thundered a venomous volley against the crossbar after ghosting onto Luis Boa Morte’s ball at the back post.
But Fulham’s only other chances in the first period came from set plays. Zat Knight nodded a Jon Harley free-kick past the far post midway through the first half before Abdes Ouaddoh headed agonisingly wide from a corner. Tigana was unimpressed, sending on Sylvain Legwinski and Saha at half time. The double change almost paid immediate dividends with Legwinski’s first involvement seconds after the restart being a barnstorming run that saw him beat four defenders before Steve Marlet was crowded out.
The home side founded Egaleo’s Senegalese goalkeeper Mahamadou Sidibé, who had already denied Malbranque before the break, in outstanding form. He should have been beaten by Boa Morte on the hour but the Portuguese winger’s powerpuff shot was straight at the keeper and Sidibé was soon denying Sean Davis, Hayles and Legwinski with a series of superb saves.
Fulham survived a scare when Edwin van der Sar somehow smothered an effort from John Chloros but the Cottagers seemed set for further frustration until last season’s leading goalscorer Hayles turned provider for Saha with the clocking ticking down. The barrel-chested striker surged along the right flank after being freed by a perceptive pass from Davis and his low cut back allowed Saha to turn and fire beyond Sidibé to give Fulham a precious aggregate lead ahead of next Saturday’s second leg in Athens.
FULHAM (4-4-2): van der Sar; Ouaddoh (Legwinski 45), Harley, Knight, Goma; Davis, Collins, Malbranque (Hayles 66), Boa Morte; Sava (Saha 45), Marlet. Subs (not used): Herrera, Melville, Goldbaek, Stolcers.
FULHAM (4-4-2): van der Sar; Ouaddoh (Legwinski 45), Harley, Knight, Goma; Davis, Collins, Malbranque (Hayles 66), Boa Morte; Sava (Saha 45), Marlet. Subs (not used): Herrera, Melville, Goldbaek, Stolcers.
GOAL: Saha (77).
FC EGALEO (4-4-1-1): Sidibé; Papoutsis, Edusei, Alexopoulos, Meidanis; Skopelitis, Stefanov (Wanga 52), Chatzis (Antonetti 68), Christou; Fotakis, Chloros (Agritis 61). Subs (not used): Kottaras, Simeonidis, Psomas, Makris.
BOOKED: Alexopoulos, Meidanis, Wanga.
REFEREE: Johny Ver Eecke (Belgium).
ATTENDANCE: 5,119.
This report initially appeared in the 20 July 2002 edition of Sportscene
