Europa League

February 25, 2010

Full-time

Shakhtar Donetsk

1 - 1

Fulham

Europa League

18:00 GMT, February 25, 2010

RSK Olympyiskyi, Ukraine

Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen

2nd Leg: 2 - 3 (Agg)

Cottagers seal shock passage

Scoring Summary

Shakhtar Donetsk Fulham
Rodrigues Jadson (69')Brede Hangeland (33')

Teams

Shakhtar Donetsk Fulham
30 Andrei PyatovMark Schwarzer
Tomas HubschmanChris Baird
26 Razvan Dinca Rat18 Aaron Hughes
Olexander KucherBrede Hangeland
44 Yaroslav RakitskiyStephen Kelly
33 Darijo Srna20 Dickson Etuhu
8 Rodrigues Jadson16 Damien Duff
Fernandinho13 Danny Murphy
22 da Silva Willian 29 Simon Davies
11 Junior Ilsinho11 Zoltan Gera
17 da Silva Luiz Adriano25 Bobby Zamora
Substitutes
60 Artem TetenkoPascal Zuberbuhler 19
18 Mariusz LewandowskiChris Smalling 26
32 Mykola IschenkoKeanu Marsh-Brown 44
19 Oleksiy GaiJonathan Greening 27
23 Kostyantin KravchenkoBjorn Riise 17
20 de Souza Douglas CostaErik Nevland 10
21 Olexandr GladkiyDavid Elm 35
Substitutions
Kostyantin Kravchenko for Tomas Hubschman (46)
David Elm for Bobby Zamora (72)
de Souza Douglas Costa for da Silva Willian (54)
Bjorn Riise for Simon Davies (89)
Olexandr Gladkiy for da Silva Luiz Adriano (76)
 
Yellow Cards
Junior Ilsinho (90)
Zoltan Gera (77)
Red Cards
 Danny Murphy (90)
· Squads: Shakhtar Donetsk | Fulham

Brede Hangeland was the hero on a European glory night for Fulham as they stunned Shakhtar Donetsk to reach the last 16 of the Europa League.

• Hodgson hails "marvellous night"

The defender, along with goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, kept out almost everything the Ukrainians threw at them at the vast Donbass Arena.

Hangeland popped up with Fulham's goal - with their first attack of the night - to set up a stunning success for Roy Hodgson's men.

During their visit to England Shakhtar's players were barred from Harrods, owned by Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed, and the Londoners knew that if they could shut up shop again they would be going through.

They managed to do just that, under immense pressure and in front of a vociferous home crowd, for 69 minutes until Jadson fired Shakhtar level.

But Fulham held out for the final, nerve-jangling last 20 minutes to knock out the 2009 UEFA Cup winners and make the last 16 of the revamped competition for the first time in their history.

Only a stoppage-time red card for Danny Murphy, which will rule him out of their next match, marred a memorable evening in Donetsk.

Shakhtar, who had Luiz Adriano's away goal to show for their efforts in the first leg at Craven Cottage, were quickly into their stride with their five-strong Brazilian contingent looking sharp.

In the first minute Adriano fired in a low shot which was comfortably dealt with by Schwarzer.

The Fulham goalkeeper was called into more serious action when he tipped a long-range effort from Willian over the crossbar with just three minutes gone.

Adriano should have done better with an attempted curler moments later before, with the visitors retreating deeper and deeper, Schwarzer kept his side on level terms with a superb diving one-handed save to deny Fernandinho.

Fulham's overworked keeper then had to block another low Willian drive midway through the first half.

It was all hands to the pump in the Fulham area with striker Bobby Zamora hacking a dangerous low centre clear before Schwarzer scrambled Yaroslav Rakitsky's 30-yarder round a post.

But having stood up to the barrage, incredibly it was Fulham who took the lead with their first attack of the night.

After 33 minutes Zamora won a free-kick down the right, Damien Duff floated in the cross and Hangeland's glancing header beat the motionless Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.

It cancelled out Adriano's strike seven days earlier, to the delight of 350 hardy travelling fans, and meant Shakhtar needed to score twice to stay in the tie.

The hosts were straight back on the attack after the break and Adriano headed captain Darijo Srna's cross into the arms of Schwarzer.

But although Shakhtar continued to dominate Hangeland was imperious at the back, cutting out a driven centre from Razvan Rat with an immaculate first touch and getting his head onto just about everything else thrown at him.

With frustration growing in the home ranks, substitute Douglas blazed an ambitious 25-yarder high over Schwarzer's crossbar.

The Cottagers had a chance to kill off the tie when a rare counter-attack saw Zamora break clear down the right but his square cross, towards an unmarked Zoltan Gera, was cut out by defender Olexander Kucher.

And the moment Fulham feared came in the 69th minute when Douglas reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Jadson to sweep past Schwarzer to level the match on the night.

Fulham hearts were in their mouths with 10 minutes to go when a vicious curler from defender Rakitsky thundered into the side-netting.

Then Douglas' shot was deflected wide off Murphy with Shakhtar screaming for handball.

Gera passed up another chance to put Fulham clear when he scuffed wide in the final minute, before Murphy was shown a red card for kicking out at Srna moments before the final whistle.

  • Hodgson hails "marvellous night"

    Roy Hodgson saluted a historic night for Fulham after Brede Hangeland's goal sent them into the last 16 of the Europa League.

    Hodgson said: "It has been a wonderful night for the club. Shakhtar showed what a good team they are. Their ability to pass and keep the ball is as good as I've seen in my 35-year career.

    "I don't like to compare nights, but it's yet another marvellous night along the way and great credit to the team. I really enjoyed the night and the performance but I still hope there'll be some more good nights to come. I'll wait until I retire to discuss which were the great moments and which were the lesser moments.''

    But they survived the final nerve-jangling 20 minutes and the stoppage-time dismissal of Danny Murphy, for kicking out at Darijo Srna, to see out a stunning success.

    "The only thing that marred the evening was the sending-off of Danny Murphy, who had a very good game and will now miss the next game,'' added Hodgson, who also apologised for his touchline rant after a foul by Douglas on Duff.

    "I thought it was a bad foul on Damien Duff and I was angry he fouled him in that way, but if ever you let your emotions get the better of you it's not good and inexcusable and I made my excuses to the referee.

    "Sometimes things happen to make the red mist fall, but I'm thankful no further damage has been done.''