Source: Daily_Mail
Fulham 3 NSI Runavik 0: A cruise for Jol's men after 39-day rest
ShareSo, this is where playing fair gets you. Club football in June, four miles from the Wimbledon tennis championships, on ladies semi-finals day? You cannot be serious.[LNB] Well, 'Diddy' David Hamilton seemed serious. 'It's Showtime.' he cried over the PA system and out trotted Fulham, dressed, rather aptly, in all white.[LNB] Cool finish: Murphy scores Fulham's second from the penalty spot[LNB] Fans at Craven Cottage must have wondered what Johnny Haynes would have made of a home kit without black shorts but the officials at the All England Club would have approved.[LNB]MATCH FACTS Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer 6; Baird 6, Hughes 6, Hangeland 7, Briggs 6; Duff 7, Etuhu 6 (Sidwell 74min, 6), Murphy 7, Davies 6 (Riise 69, 6); Zamora 7 (Valle 79), A Johnson 7. Subs (not used): Stockdale, Kelly, Senderos, Greening. [LNB]NSI Runevik (4-1-4-1): Gango 8; J Frederiksberg 6, Petersen 5, J Joensen 5, Mikkelsen 6; Hansen 6; Mortensen 5 (M Olsen 86), Jacobsen 6, Lakjuni 5, Danielsen 6 (A Frederiksberg 78); K Olsen 6 (Liknargotu 90). Subs (not used): K Joensen, Sorensen. Booked: Petersen. [LNB]Man of the match: Andras Gango. [LNB]Referee: Bernhard Brugger (Austria) 6. [LNB] Fulham were starting their season 39 days after the last one ended. On May 22, it was Arsenal on the banks of the Thames, in a 2-2 draw notable for Zoltan Gera's sending-off within three minutes of coming on as a late substitute.[LNB] The red card proved to be not quite enough for the club to dodge what seemed to be UEFA's end-of-season booby prize, entry into the first qualifying round of the Europa League, via the Fair Play system.[LNB]Manager Mark Hughes, however, found a way to avoid a truncated break by refusing to renew his contract and Martin Jol was appointed in time for Wimbledon and headlines about Summer Jolidays.[LNB] 'I was going to go to Wimbledon the other day, it was all organised, then it started to rain,' Jol said. 'I love tennis and I would love to see Andy Murray. It would be fantastic to see him win it, but I think it is almost impossible.' [LNB] Such defeatism Murray can probably do without. This was the first game back in charge of an English club for Jol. His last came in the same competition when he was Tottenham boss, a surreal tie against Getafe when the White Hart Lane crowd discovered during the first half that their popular Dutch manager was about to be sacked.[LNB] Way to go: Martin Jol enjoyed a comfortable win in his first game[LNB] Last night, a crowd of more than 14,000 turned up in their shirt-sleeves and shades to bask in the evening sun, although there was a notable groan when four minutes added time was announced at the end. [LNB] Those who came along got to share the experience of Jol's first Fulham game, an easy win against NSI Runavik from the Faroe Islands.[LNB] Runavik is a shipping town of fewer than 4,000 people. They could have all squeezed in at the Putney End. As it was, only about 30 of them made it to London for what their part-time players were happy to bill the biggest game of their lives.[LNB] Jol was satisfied with the result, which equals Fulham's best in European football and enabled him to consider giving the players a couple of days off before they embark on next week's voyage to the isle of Eysturoy.[LNB] He picked his strongest possible team, with Mousa Dembele injured and Clint Dempsey and Carlos Salcido on international duty. [LNB] Runavik tired and faded badly towards the end but they managed to keep Fulham out for half an hour before Damien Duff lashed in a left-footer on the turn from a pass by Simon Davies.[LNB]Hungarian goalkeeper Andras Gango warmedto his role as the busiest man on the pitch, tipping over a free-kick from Bobby Zamora before half-time and saving again from the striker after the break.[LNB] Picture this: Runavik fans make the most of their trip to the capital[LNB] Andy Johnson ought to have been awarded a penalty when he was tripped but play went on. Nobody disputed it too much and, a few minutes later, they got one anyway. Helgi Petersen hacked down Davies and Danny Murphy sent Gango the wrong way. Johnson added the third with 20 minutes left.[LNB] All in all, a decent start for the 2010 Europa League runners-up but this will be a long campaign if it develops as that one did. The final is another 21 games away, in Bucharest on May 9, by which time, minds in this part of London will be turning once again towards strawberries and cream.[LNB] Fulham 3 NSI Runavik 0: Duff, Murphy and Johnson on target as Jol starts reign with winJol says Stockdale is not for sale as Segers joins Fulham as goalkeeping coach[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Andy Murray, Danny Murphy, Johnny Haynes, Mark Hughes, Simon Davies, Damien Duff, Martin Jol, Bobby Zamora Places: London, Austria Organisations: All England Club
