Source: Daily_Mail
Fulham stopper Mark Schwarzer aims for Europa League final after Hamburg shutout
Mark Schwarzer admitted the lure of a major European final ensured no obstacle would get in Fulham's way in Hamburg on Thursday night after an arduous 17-hour road trip to Germany.[LNB]Fulham boarded a bus to reach their destination due to the uncertainty about flights brought about by the volcanic eruption in Iceland. [LNB] Happily, the situation has resolved itself for the journey home, allowing Schwarzer and his team-mates a more comfortable way of assessing the goalless draw that makes Fulham slight favourites to reach the final, back in Hamburg, on May 12. [LNB] On the Mark: Fulham goalkeeper Schwarzer kept a clean sheet in Hamburg [LNB]No-one will forget the epic trip though, even if it was not allowed to deflect Fulham from their task. [LNB]'When we found out on Monday we were going to go by bus, nobody wasparticularly happy about it but we held it together,' said Schwarzer,who made three excellent second-half saves to keep Hamburg out. [LNB]'We would have liked different circumstances. We would have liked to come over by plane but it wasn't possible. [LNB] Road trip: Schwarzer says nobody was happy Fulham had to travel by bus to Germany [LNB][LNB]'It was nobody's fault. We had to get on with it because we knew what a massive game for us.' [LNB]Whilst for some clubs, not just the big four, but the likes ofTottenham, Aston Villa and Everton, major finals come around at areasonable rate, at Fulham they are a rarity indeed. [LNB]For players many claim over-reached themselves in securing a EuropaLeague slot in the first place, a semi-final appearance represented anopportunity that simply cannot be wasted. [LNB]'It is not every day you get a chance to play in a European competition, especially at a club like Fulham' said Schwarzer. [LNB]'A lot of players have never reached this stage of a tournamentbefore and starting from the front down to the back everyone workedextremely hard.' [LNB] Home comforts for Hodgson as he vows to earn final spot after stalemateEverton v FULHAM: Clint Dempsey set to cover for absent Bobby ZamoraHamburg 0 Fulham 0: Roy's well organised boys withstand onslaughtFULHAM FC
