Source: Team_Talk
We were a bit leggy, concedes Schwarzer
Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer admitted Fulham were affected by their long journey to Germany as they secured a 0-0 draw with hosts Hamburg.[LNB] The Cottagers needed 27 hours to get to Hamburg by coach and even had to train by the side of the autobahn when heavy traffic held them up further.[LNB]But they still came away from Thursday night's Europa League semi-final first leg in a strong position, with a big slice of the credit going to Schwarzer for several outstanding saves.[LNB]"The trip was well documented, and we were a bit tired in the legs, but in the end it's a good performance," Schwarzer told ESPN.[LNB]"We've done fantastically well to limit them to so few chances and it's a really admirable performance that gives us hope for the return leg."[LNB]Asked if the players had managed to stretch their legs on the way over, Schwarzer joked: "We had three hours by the side of the motorway halfway through.[LNB]"It was tough, but you can do it if you get your mind right. In the last 15-20 minutes you get your head around the fact you are tired and you can still hold your shape.[LNB]"There were a few chances for us and we could have come away with a goal."[LNB]Fulham captain Danny Murphy was happy with the way his side contained Hamburg.[LNB]"They're a good side with great attacking players and we knew they'd come at us," he said. "We talked about keeping our shape and other than two saves in the last 15-20 minutes we had a reasonably comfortable night. With a bit more quality on the break we might have had a chance ourselves.[LNB]"I knew we would have to be organised, they have good attacking players, we've seen that on the videos, and we knew if we kept our shape we would have a few chances on the counter attack.[LNB]"Mark made a few good saves but when you come away from home at this stage of the competition you know you're going to be under pressure."[LNB]Fulham boss Roy Hodgson praised his players for the way they had handled things.[LNB]"I think we have got to be very happy with the result when it has been such an effort to get here," he said.[LNB]"It's not normal to travel virtually two days but we were determined not to use it as an excuse. I do think now we can take some credit.[LNB]"You can't put these things out of your mind. You can't prepare well when you have to spend two days on a bus, but that didn't show in the game."[LNB]Hodgson admitted the tie is delicately poised, but believes things now favour Fulham.[LNB]"It will be very different at Craven Cottage with the atmosphere and the pitch being so different to here," he added. "This is a magnificent stadium, a magnificent arena with a beautiful playing surface, a big playing surface, and it will be very different on our much tighter pitch."[LNB]There was one worry for Fulham with Bobby Zamora coming off with a recurrence of his Achilles injury.[LNB]"He does have an Achilles problem and we're trying to manage it as well as possible," Hodgson added. "We were a bit concerned about it and he was complaining about it before the game.[LNB]"It was so close to the end of the game I've not had a chance to talk to the medical staff yet, but it will be a problem for the weekend, that's for certain, because of the travelling.[LNB]"I've not ruled him out yet but if you ask me now to have a bet I would bet on him not playing."
