Source: Telegraph
Fulham 1 CSKA Sofia 0: match report
Fulham's European adventure remains alive after they overcame the disappointment of a missed early penalty to beat Bulgaria's army team thanks to first-half goal from Zoltan Gera. [LNB]The victory means that Fulham go to Basle in a fortnight needing another victory to reach the knockout stages. [LNB] Related ArticlesCSKA Sofia coach will miss Fulham clashPremier League set for record transfer windowHangeland signs Fulham contractFillip for FulhamSport on televisionBasle, beaten 2-1 by Roma on Thursday night, will require only a point to progress and disappoint Fulham's but it could have been worse when Danny Murphy, back after injury, sent a ninth minute spot-kick over the bar. But Fulham held on to extend their unbeaten home run in Europe to 12 games. [LNB]Fulham, without the suspended Paul Konchesky, Erik Nevland and Jonathan Greening, along with the injured Andrew Johnson, Diomansy Kamara and Dickson Etuhu, were able to call on Bobby Zamora, while Murphy was back after an eight-match absence due to a groin problem. [LNB]The teams drew 1-1 in Sofia in September and with three strikers missing last night, Roy Hodgson used Gera just behind Zamora and the forward was given a chance inside the opening three minutes but his first touch was poor and CSKA goalkeeper Zdravko Chavdarov was able to gather. [LNB]Soon afterwards Simon Davies tested Chavdarov but CSKA responded when Todor Timonov's rising volley looped over Mark Schwarzer before striking the crossbar. [LNB]And the game was just eight minutes old when Bjorn Helge Riise's through-ball to Gera produced a penalty, the Hungarian upended by Ivan Ivanov, but Murphy's lack of match practice was perhaps to explain his squandered kick, his placed effort rising over the bar. [LNB]But Fulham made amends when, in the 15th minute, the industrious Riise crossed from the right and Gera stooped to head his third goal of the season. They continued to dominate the first half with Zamora, Chris Smalling and Riise all threatening to add goals, while Davies should have scored but he screwed a good opportunity wide from Zamora's pass after 29 minutes. [LNB]Before the interval, Chris Baird was cautioned for a foul and reacted by throwing the ball back to a Sofia player, it almost hit the referee and he was fortunate to avoid any further punishment. [LNB]CSKA received the unexpected boost of having their coach available for the second half. Luboslav Penev had been banned from leaving Bulgaria because of a bank demand over a debt of around £1 million, but at 1.15pm on Thursday the ban was lifted and he arrived in time for the second 45 minutes. [LNB]He saw Fulham begin to dominate the second period much as they had run the first with Zamora wasteful again, in the 51st minute, slicing a shot wide from Gera's pass. [LNB]Penev brought on the wonderfully named Brazilian Michel Platini, who scored in the first leg, soon afterwards and that prompted CSKA's best move, with Mark Schwarzer forced to save well from Todor Yancev before Spas Delev shot just wide. [LNB]CSKA's pressure increased and in the 82nd minute Fulham survived when a shot from Kosta Yanev was blocked on the line by Damien Duff before Yanchev headed just over.[LNB]
