Fulham in final
April 30, 2010
Semi-final victories by Fulham and Atletico Madrid upset the odds and set the stage for the Europa League final on May 12.
With a 2-1 win over Hamburg at home on Thursday evening, Fulham came from behind to reach their first European final in the club's 131-year history.
The underdog London club were in the fourth tier of English soccer just 13 years ago and had not reached a final of any sort since 1975.
Hamburg dominated the first half, as Croatian striker Mladen Petric blasted a 30-meter free kick past Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer in the 22nd minute. But second half goals from Fulham's Simon Davies and Zoltan Gera secured the aggregate win and the place in the final.
"It just keeps getting better," captain Danny Murphy told British broadcaster ITV. "It would have been easy to think this was the end of the journey but I thought the spirit we showed in the second half was tremendous.
"We have come a long way," he added.
Fulham to face Atletico
Fulham will play Atletico Madrid in the final in Hamburg. The Spanish team eliminated five-time European champions and three-time UEFA Cup winners Liverpool with a 2-2 aggregate win on Thursday at Anfield.
The game was goalless until just a minute before half time, when Liverpool's Alberto Aquilani scored his first European goal for his club.
A 95th minute goal by teammate Yossi Benayoun looked set to clinch the win for Liverpool. But a late goal by Atletico's Diego Forlan in the 12th minute of extra time gave the Spanish side the edge, sending them to their first European final in 24 years.
Despite the scores being tied on aggregate at 2-2, Atletico go through to the final on the away goals rule.
cmk/AFP/AP/dpa/Reuters
Editor:Catherine Bolsover