Fulham’s Premier League preparations were dealt a serious blow as the Whites were taken apart by Fenerbahce in Thonen-les-Bains this afternoon. The Turkish side were comfortable winners, after establishing a 2-0 lead through Giuliano and Hassan Ali Kaldarim before substitute Ozan Tufan’s fluke cross rounded off a miserable day for Slavisa Jokanovic.
The Serbian made eight changes to the side who were held by Reading last weekend, with only Marek Rodak, Luca de la Torre and Neeskens Kebano keeping their places as rotation was the order of the day. A young Fulham side was no match for their more experienced opposition, who included Roman Neustadter, Martin Skrtel and Mauricio Isla in their starting eleven. Jokanovic encouraged his youngsters to attack from the outset, with Steven Sessegnon going close to a sensational opener when his deflected effort after a fine ball from Moritz Jenz flew fractionally wide.
But Fulham’s intent to play out from the back soon got them into trouble. A rusty Rodak goal kick midway through the first half saw Aatif Chahechouhe cut in from the left flank but he shot millimetres wide of the far post. The Slovakian goalkeeper stood no chance six minutes later when the Whites’ centre backs stood and watched Giuliano lift Isla’s cross over Rodak from inside the six yard box.
Fenerbahce doubled their lead three minutes before half time when Aatif escaped the attentions of Steven Sessegnon and played in Kaldirim, who found the bottom corner with a clinical low finish. Jokanovic opted against making changes at the interval, but the pattern of play remained the same with Rodak producing a smart save to deny Alper Potuk a third goal eight minutes into the second period.
A flurry of changes midway through the second half disrupted Fulham’s rhythm and a dismal afternoon was complete when Tufan’s cross from the right dipped late and embarassed Marcus Bettinelli with a quarter of hour to play. The Premier League newcomers, supplemented by more experienced substitutes in the closing stages, created a couple of good chances to reduce the deficit but couldn’t find the net with Carlos Kameni saving well from Stefan Johansen and Aboubakar Kamara.
FENERBAHCE (4-2-3-1): Demirel (Kameni 45); Isla (Özbayrakl? 45), Kaldirim (Köyba?? 45, Kot 86), Skrtel (Karakoç 83), Neustadter; Topal (Tufan 65), Souza; Poutak (Kad?o?lu 76), Chahechouhe (Alici 65), Elmas (Uçan 84); Giuliano.
BOOKED: Kaldirim, Chahechouhe.
GOALS: Giuliano (28), Kaldirim (35), Tufan (75).
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rodak (Bettinelli 65); S. Sessegnon (Christie 65), Fossey, Jenz (Le Marchand 76), Djalo (Odoi 65); Cisse (Cairney 65), O’Riley (Francois 82); Kebano (Kamara 65), Þorsteinsson (R. Sessegnon 65), de la Torre (Johansen 78); Kait (Fonte 65).
BOOKED: Christie.
