Source: Telegraph
Juventus 3 Fulham 1: match report
Fulham have been making history with their Europa Cup forays but on Thursday night that was all but consigned to history after a torrid time in Turin. [LNB]Manager Roy Hodgson had said he was no dreamer but his defenders will be having nightmares about David Trezeguet. For the 32-year-old World Cup winner, this was one of his increasingly few 'on' evenings; a chance to show what talent he has. And a heavy price was paid. [LNB] Related ArticlesWinter: FA wrong to consider Cup changesSpurs severely depleted for Cup tieFulham face defining weekSmalling up for U-21 adventureSport on televisionHodgson had also asked that his team at least took Juventus back to Craven Cottage with the tie still 'alive'; that they gave themselves a fighting chance, a slugger's shot. They still do but it's a pretty slim one. It looked like a game too far; the quarter-finals a distant prospect against such potency as the Italians undoubtedly possessed. [LNB]It was an adventure that meant so much to Fulham, to their progress and status, but they were quickly behind, quickly struggling. After the initial sparring, a cross flew in from the left and Trezeguet, 14 yards out, rose to head towards Mark Schwarzer's goal. He tipped it away. [LNB]From the corner, central defender Nicola Legrottaglie, with Brede Hangeland caught out, charged through to power another header. This time, Schwarzer had no chance as the ball bounced past him. Juventus had the lead. [LNB]It silenced the 1,800 Fulham supporters who had been shoe-horned into their sliver of a ground that was sparsely populated. It reinforced that, for the 27-time Italian champions, who have won the European Cup twice, this was not such a big deal though, also, ticket prices were prohibitive. [LNB]There are greater priorities. They are a distant fifth in Serie A, 15 points behind leaders Inter Milan, having finished runners-up last season. There was a host of big names missing and a smattering on the bench but there was still an experienced, expensively-assembled team with, for example, £22 million Brazilian Diego playing behind a rejuvenated Trezeguet. [LNB]Fulham's run to reach this stage of the competition started back in July, and this is their 13th match so far and their 18th cup fixture of a campaign that has also taken them to a FA Cup quarter-final replay. [LNB]They are certainly battle-hardened and began to feel their way into the contest with Damien Duff working his way down the right, cutting the ball back, only for Simon Davies to miscue. It was a good opportunity. [LNB]After all, Fulham couldn't expect rich pickings although neither could they afford to offer up chances as Jonathan Greening did in casually surrendering possession only for Trezeguet's shot to, just, clear the bar. [LNB]The warning went unheeded. Soon after and right-back Jonathan Zebina easily evaded Davies's half-hearted challenge, as he cut in-field, and struck a fierce, right-footed cross-shot from 25 yards that tore past Schwarzer. It was stunning and stunned Fulham. They were being out-played, taught a lesson. Their only hope was containment or a lucky break. They, gratefully, got the latter. [LNB]Bobby Zamora won a free-kick, Davies swung it in and the ball eventually broke to Dickson Etuhu who shot goalwards. Alex Manninger would have saved comfortably, but it took a vicious deflection off Legrottaglie's heels and trundled into the net. Moments later and they were almost level with Hangeland meeting a corner, only for Manninger to claw his header away while Zamora and Zoltan Gera had half-chances. [LNB]Back came Juventus. And again they scored with an accomplished strike. This time, after Schwarzer superbly tipped over Fabio Grosso's angled drive, the corner was met by Trezeguet only for his right-foot shot to cannon back off a post. With wonderful instinct the French striker stretched to meet the rebound, this time volleying it, left-footed, into the other corner of the goal. Right on half-time. Hodgson was furious. [LNB]Fulham were just about hanging on in there with Gera's shot blocked and another dangerous cross by Zamora, who otherwise struggled against 36-year-old Fabio Cannavaro, scrambled away before Trezeguet was withdrawn. Fulham were urged on, but it was laboured. [LNB]Juventus's most dangerous opponent was complacency with substitute Vincenzo Iaquinta blazing over when well-placed before Diego drew another fine save from Schwarzer and Legrottaglie headed narrowly wide. After the fireworks of the first half, the contest was fizzling out. For Fulham the flame is, not yet, extinguished.[LNB]
