Emile Smith Rowe’s second half strike ensured an unconvincing Fulham side sneaked past a spirited League Two Cambridge United side at Craven Cottage last night to book a place in the fourth round of the League Cup.
Marco Silva made eleven changes from the side that had battered Brentford on Saturday evening but there was little to excite a sparse crowd by the banks of the River Thames, with Cambridge’s terrific travelling support of more than 5,2000 fans having much more to cheer as their well-drilled outfit frustrated Fulham’s second string and came close to causing a Cup upset. Smith Rowe eventually scored the only goal of a tight tie with a moment of real quality, hooking home a Timothy Castagne cross after the outstanding Jake Eastwood had brilliantly pushed away a powerful volley from Raul Jimenez.
Fulham’s record signing, Kevin, made his first start for the Whites after two substitutes appearances but was largely kept in check by Cambridge right back Liam Bennett. The young full back, who has plenty of admirers in the EFL, made a succession of well-timed challenges when the Brazilian under-20 international found space in the box, including with time running out that saw the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger stay down in the penalty area holding his shoulder. Kevin’s early departure hinted at another injury setback for Silva on a night when the Fulham boss was far from pleased with a lack of urgency from his second-string side.
The fact that centre back Jorge Cuenca had the Premier League club’s only effort of any note before half time showed how little invention the home side had in the first 45 minutes. The Spaniard’s speculative strike from 35 yards flew high over the crossbar, but the Whites were indebted to the defender for getting his body in the way of Shayne Lowery’s goalbound drive at the Hammersmith End after the Republic of Ireland international looked primed to punish Fulham’s failure to deal with Adam Mayor’s long throw.
The most entertaining moment of the first period came when referee Ruebyn Ricardo failed four times to deflate a yellow balloon that had made its way from the Putney End onto the pitch. Not for the first time, Bennett was able to stamp out any danger with an effective two-footed tackle. Jimenez almost opened the scoring as Fulham picked up the tempo at the start of the second period but his delectable backheel flew fractionally over the bar.
Eastwood then denied Harrison Reed from Adama Traore’s cross before showing all of his agility to tip over a rising drive from the former Southampton midfielder after patient build-up down the Fulham left involving Robinson and Kevin. It was only when the American international, making his first start of the season after knee surgery, hit the byline that Neil Harris’ resolute rearguard finally caved in. Jimenez drew a superb sprawling save from Eastwood after directing Robinson’s cutback goalwards and, when Castagne reached the rebound, Smith Rowe supplied a superb finish to break the deadlock.
If anyone felt that goal would open the floodgates, they were mistaken. The U’s rolled up their sleeves and fashioned several chances as they staged a late assault on the Fulham goal. Substitute Sullay Kaikai’s inventive run down the left culminated in a shot that whistled wide of Benjamin Lecomte’s goal before Elias Kachunga soared superbly at the far post to win a header that created an opportunity for Kylian Kouassi but the Blackpool loanee couldn’t connect with an ambitious overhead kick.
Zak Bradshaw came close to equalising when he almost caught out Lecomte with a cross-cum-shot but the French goalkeeper let out a huge sigh of relief having fielded the ball safely on the goal-line. Fulham survived to advance into the fourth round, but even Josh King’s attempts to score his first senior goal from close range were thwarted at the death by an inspired intervention from Zeno Ibsen Rossi.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Lecomte; Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop, Cuenca; Reed (King 60), Cairney; Traore (Chukwueze 60), Kevin (Wilson 87), Smith Rowe (Berge 82); Jimenez (Muniz 82). Subs (not used): Leno, Tete, Bassey, Kusi-Asare.
BOOKED: Reed.
GOAL: Smith Rowe (66).
CAMBRIDGE UNITED (4-5-1): Eastwood; Bennett, Bradshaw, Jobe, Rossi; Smith (Ball 64), McLaughlin, Mpazu (Kachunga 72), Brophy (Knight 72), Mayor (Kaikai 64); Lavery (Kouassi 64). Subs (not used): Hughes, Purrington, Watts, Gibbons.
BOOKED: Smith.
REFEREE: Ruebyn Ricardo (Leicestershire).
ATTENDANCE: 16,254.
