A late Marc Goodfellow equaliser saw Swansea secure a draw with Fulham in their first game at the Liberty Stadium.
Top-flight guests Fulham went in front six minutes into the second half when midfielder Steed Malbranque’s cross from the right wing sailed in over a baffled Willy Gueret. But Swansea battled hard to make a game of it and brought on club legend Alan Curtis – now 51 – for the final ten minutes of what was designated as his testimonial.
Curtis had a great view of Swansea’s deserved equaliser as substitute Goodfellow made a stirring first impression on the Swansea faithful, slaloming his way past Zat Knight and a number of other Fulham defenders, being slotting a superb finish beyond Jaroslav Drobny with four minutes to play. Goodfellow had earlier signalled his threat by striking the post whilst Andy Robinson and Lee Trundle also went close.
A sell-out crowd gleefully celebrated Swansea’s superb second half display. More than 12,000 watched this game which will help Swansea receive a safety certificate for the forthcoming season, with the full capacity limited for this test event.
Heidar Helguson made his first Fulham start after joining Watford last week, whilst another summer signing – left back Niclas Jensen – also made his first appearance for the Whites. Malbranque almost gave the visitors an early lead but he lost his footing having trod on the ball when played through by the lively Tomasz Radzinski. Mark Crossley caused consternation at the other end, dropping Roberto Martinez’s corner and being reliant on Zesh Rehman to stab the ball away from danger.
Rehman almost created an opener at the other end, getting forward well to cross for Malbranque, who blazed over when well placed. Radzinski missed two glorious chances at the start of the second half – somehow heading a terrific Luis Boa Morte cross wide – and then seeing a low shot scrambled off the line. Fulham did take the lead when Malbranque’s cross-cum-shot from the right flank completely wrongfooted Gueret.
Drobny, who replaced Crossley at half-time, produced a fine stop to deny Trundle after the Welsh forward had sprung the Fulham offside trap but the Czech goalkeeper was left helpless in the face of Goodfellow’s late brilliance.
SWANSEA CITY (4-4-2): Gueret (Murphy 89), Ricketts (Anderson 87), Austin, O’Leary (Tudor-Jones 87), Tate, Martinez (Robinson 78), Britton (Curtis 81), Akinfenwa (Connor 45; Goodfellow 69, Trundle (Bond 89), Forbes (McLeod 69), Iriekpen.
GOAL: Goodfellow (86).
FULHAM (4-4-2): Crossley (Drobny 45); Volz (Rosenior 45), Goma (Leacock 69), Rehman (Knight 45), N. Jensen (Timlin 69); Malbranque, Legwinski, C. Jensen, Elrich (Boa Morte 45); Radzinski, Helguson (John 45).
REFEREE: Mark Whitby.
ATTENDANCE: 12,121.
