Fulham’s under 21s moved closer towards reaching the knockout stages of the Premier International Cup after beating FC Porto B 3-0 at Motspur Park last night.
Steve Wigley recalled Sonny Hilton, Terry Ablade and Luke Harris to his starting line-up after the young Whites were beaten for the first time in six matches by Manchester United last Friday – and the hosts responded with a professional performance against experienced European opposite. The early stages of a tight contest were even with Porto having the clearest chance after crisp combination play between Rui Monteiro and Vasco Sousa saw the latter shoot wide.
Martial Godo fired over from distance before a clever short-corner routine conjured up a first shot on goal for Fulham. Adrion Pajaziti floated in a fine cross but Harvey Araujo would have been disappointed to head straight at visiting goalkeeper Goncalo Ribeiro. Porto, who had played purposeful possession football of their own for much of the first half, almost took the lead through a Rodrigo Fernandes free-kick that crept under the Fulham wall but went fractionally wide with George Wickens beaten.
The hosts did head in at half time ahead thanks to the mercurial talents of Hilton, who had his loan spell at Carlisle United cut short last week. Making his first start for the under 21 side this term, the Liverpudlian lashed home a lovely left-footed finish after latching on to a loose ball nineteen yards out. There was more to come in stoppage time as Harris blasted a penalty right down the middle after a Porto player had handled in the box.
After the interval, the visitors pressed for a route back into the contest but were frustrated by some solid Fulham defending. It was the Whites who went closer to increasing their lead with Hilton denied first by Ribeiro and then by the officials after a corner flew straight in, but referee Scott Tallis punished an infringement in the penalty area. Ribeiro did brilliantly to keep out a glancing Godo header from Hilton’s free-kick, but was eventually beaten again when the impressive Matt Dibley-Dias burst away from the Porto defence and fired in a third right at the end of normal time.
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Wickens; D’Auria-Henry, Araujo (Works 79), McAvoy, C. Robinson; Dibley-Dias, Pajaziti (Williams 89); Godo (Sanderson 89), Harris (de Fougerolles 45), Hilton; Ablade (McFarlane 73). Subs (not used): Allen, Okkas.
BOOKED: Harris, McAvoy, Araujo, Pajaziti, de Fougerolles.
GOALS: Hilton (43), Harris (45+3), Dibley-Dias (90).
FC PORTO B (4-2-3-1): Ribeiro; Pinheiro, Mendes (Oliveira 61), Ze Pedro (Balde 73), Vinhas; Tavares, Fernandes; Wendel (Rodrigues 61), Varela (Cande 69); Sousa (Mota 61); Monteiro. Subs (not used): Gomes, Cardoso.
BOOKED: Sousa, Tavares, Fernandes, Ribeiro, Oliveira.
REFEREE: Scott Tallis (England).
