FOOTBALL Live

Saturday December 22, 2007 Finished Craven Cottage

Logo 1 - Wigan Athletic 1

Fulham

  • Dempsey 78’

Wigan Athletic

  • Bent 70’

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Fulham
    • Wigan Athletic
    • 90+2' There's the final whistle! An exciting finish, but neither side can find a winner, and both sides claim a point. A fair result, though Fulham will feel they should have been out of sight by half-time.
    • 90' Fine flick on now from Sibierski into the path of Valencia, but the referee has blown for a foul. Even so, Wigan look the more likely side to score.
    • 88' Sibierski hits the bar for Wigan!!! A simple long ball was hit forward by Scharner, the marking from the Fulham defence was awful, and the big Frenchman's header skimmed the top of the woodwork!
    • 86' Kirkland comes and fails to claim a cross, it falls to Kamara, he drills it straight at the 'keeper, and Boyce does the rest to clear up.
    • 82' Valencia again looks to burst into the box, but he's now outmuscles by Kamara of all people! What's he doing there?!?
    • 79' Valencia is played clean through by Sibierski, no offside flag!!! He bears down on Niemi...but he fails to get his shot away and the Finnish 'keeper makes the save!!! What a chance!!!
    • 76' It's anyone's game now. We're in for a nervy, exciting finish.
    • 75' Dempsey pulls Fulham level!!! The cross frmo Baird ran through to Kamara, his wayward shot landed at the feet of Dempsey, who struck his first-time shot just inside the post!
    • 74' A poor Fulham free-kick is not properly dealt with in the Wigan area, Hughes gets his head to it, now Dempsey heads goalwards, but Kirkland does well to make the save and hold onto the ball among a crowd of bodies!
    • 73' Great pressure and workrate from Marcus Bent to win it back in the Fulham half!
    • 73' Al-Fayed looks even more glum in the stands now.
    • 72' Murphy spots the run of Healy in to the near post and puts the free-kick right into his path, Healy wraps his foot round it, but still can't get it on target. That was close though.
    • 71' Shefki Kuqi is now on for Hameur Bouazza.
    • 69' Wigan have the lead!!! It's Marcus Bent!!! The corner was cleared out and hoofed high back into the area, Titus Bramble rose highest on the edge of the area to get a flick-on for Bent, who reacted quicketst and volleyed home emphatically into the far post.
    • 68' Decent ball in from Bent towards Sibierski, and Bocanegra is called upon to make a good saving header!
    • 67' The second half has none of the entertainment of the first period. Incidentally, Brian Barwick is a spectator today. He's sitting next to Mohamed Al-Fayed, and neither of them look remotely interested in the game!
    • 66' Ryan Taylor arrows a decent corner in to Titus Bramble at the near post, but the defender can only thump his header wide.
    • 64' Wigan are making a switch too. Julius Aghahowa is off, and Antoine Sibierski is on in his place.
    • 60' Omozusi is now being replaced by Chris Baird, while David Healy is on for Clint Dempsey.
    • 54' Elliot Omozusi has an ankle problem. He's receiving treatment from the physio.
    • 52' Davies flicks the ball over the top of the defence for Clint Dempsey to run onto, Bramble makes back some ground...Dempsey shoots...but it's a poor effort.
    • 50' Fine take from Niemi after Valencia clips a ball towards Bent at the back post.
    • 48' Kamara flights a free-kick in towards the back post, but it's well overhits and drifts straight out of play.
    • 46' Fulham kick off the second half and Kamara immediately wins a free-kick. No changes from either side at half-time.
    • 45+1' There's the half-time whistle at Craven Cottage. 0-0.
    • 45' Fine ball in from Davies on the right, Bramble lunges for it but doesn't make it, it falls for Dempsey, but his first touch is poor and it runs through to Kirkland.
    • 43' It's all gone a bit scrappy now. Kilbane wins a free-kick off Davies in midfield. Taylor fires it in towards Scharner at the far post...he chests it down, and thumps it high into the West London skies.
    • 39' The tempo has dropped slightly over the past 5-10 minutes. The Wigan defence are beginning to get a grip.
    • 36' Lovely ball chested by Kamara into the path of the onrushing Dempsey, Bramble slides in...and makes an excellent tackle. Dempsey wanted a free-kick, but the big man took the ball.
    • 33' Two debatable fouls have gone against Aghahowa and Bent in the last couple of minutes when it looked like they had simply outmuscled the Fulam defenders.
    • 29' Great inswinging ball into the box from Ryan Taylor, Scharner gets in ahead of Aaron Hughes, but again just fails to make contact with the ball!
    • 28' Quite how we haven't had a goal yet is beyond me.
    • 27' Paul Konchesky now sees a 40-yard screamer hit the bar and go over!!! Kirkland was beaten all ends up!!! What a strike!!!
    • 26' Konchesky piles forward now and wins a corner off Valencia. Murphy takes it, it squirms through a crowd off bodies and out for another corner...which Wigan deal with far more competently.
    • 26' Davies whips a fine free-kick into the near post for Kamara, he beats Kirkland to the ball, but pushes it just past the post!!!
    • 25' Exciting stuff here at Craven Cottage. Mostly due to the fact we have two awful defences.
    • 24' Fulham now come forward as Bouazza finds Davies, he lines up a shot from the edge of the area...but smashes it straight at Kirkland. Where was the marking there? The Wigan defence were all at sea once again.
    • 22' Kilbane's corner arrives back at his own feet, he fizzes in a great ball across goal, Bent and Aghahowa both attack it but neither can quite reach it.
    • 21' Aghahowa now gets down the right flank well for Wigan, his cross is cleared but it falls for Brown. He lines up a 25-yard effort, but he fails to make proper contact and the ball goes well wide.
    • 19' Fulham have started very well. Bouazza has been their main source of inspiration so far.
    • 17' Davies picks out the run of Kamara with a fine ball, Bramble was playing him onside, Kamara crosses, but it's overhit and runs out of play on the other side.
    • 15' Steven Davies brings it down just outside the box, rounds Aghahowa, and drives a low shot just past the post.
    • 10' A long throw from Wigan makes its way deep into the Fulham box, Valencia provides the knock-down for Michael Brown, whose half-volley sails over the bar and into the stands!
    • 8' Excellent run down the left side from Bouazza, he puts another teasing ball across the box, Simon Davies attacks it at the near post, but Chris Kirkland sticks out a strong hand to nick it away from the Welshman!! Wigan's defence is being torn to shreds!
    • 7' Fine play from Fulham as Danny Murphy bursts into the box and forces a corner off Bramble. It comes in, and Bocanegra sees a header cleared off the line by Landzaat! An energetic start to proceedings here at Craven Cottage!
    • 6' Wigan now come forward again through Ryan Taylor on the right, but he lets the ball slip under his foot for a throw and that relieves the pressure on Fulham. Fulham break now and Kamara spreads the play well to Konchesky, he feeds Bouazza, fine low cross, and Boyce makes an excellent interception.
    • 4' Antti Niemi is receiving treatment for a minor facial injury. He's fine to resume though.
    • 3' Antonio Valencia strides forward down the right for Wigan, he gets in behind his man, volleys towards goal, but Bocanegra manages to hack clear for the hosts.
    • 1' We're underway at Craven Cottage.
    • 14:45 Ray Lewington and Billy McKinlay are in charge of Fulham today following the sacking of Lawrie Sanchez. One would imagine John Collins would be paying particularly close attention to proceedings today. The Scot is rumoured to be on the verge of taking over at Craven Cottage.
    • 14:40 Fulham team to face Wigan Athletic: Niemi, Omozusi, Bocanegra, Hughes, Konchesky, Bouazza, Davis, Murphy, Davies, Kamara, Dempsey.
    • 14:35 Wigan team to face Fulham: Kirkland, Boyce, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Landzaat, Taylor, Aghahowa, Bent.
    • 14:30 Welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's live text commentary of Fulham v Wigan.

  • Summary

    • 88' Sibierski hits the bar for Wigan!!! A simple long ball was hit forward by Scharner, the marking from the Fulham defence was awful, and the big Frenchman's header skimmed the top of the woodwork!
    • 79' Valencia is played clean through by Sibierski, no offside flag!!! He bears down on Niemi...but he fails to get his shot away and the Finnish 'keeper makes the save!!! What a chance!!!
    • 75' Dempsey pulls Fulham level!!! The cross frmo Baird ran through to Kamara, his wayward shot landed at the feet of Dempsey, who struck his first-time shot just inside the post!
    • 69' Wigan have the lead!!! It's Marcus Bent!!! The corner was cleared out and hoofed high back into the area, Titus Bramble rose highest on the edge of the area to get a flick-on for Bent, who reacted quicketst and volleyed home emphatically into the far post.
    • 29' Great inswinging ball into the box from Ryan Taylor, Scharner gets in ahead of Aaron Hughes, but again just fails to make contact with the ball!
    • 27' Paul Konchesky now sees a 40-yard screamer hit the bar and go over!!! Kirkland was beaten all ends up!!! What a strike!!!
    • 26' Davies whips a fine free-kick into the near post for Kamara, he beats Kirkland to the ball, but pushes it just past the post!!!
    • 22' Kilbane's corner arrives back at his own feet, he fizzes in a great ball across goal, Bent and Aghahowa both attack it but neither can quite reach it.
    • 10' A long throw from Wigan makes its way deep into the Fulham box, Valencia provides the knock-down for Michael Brown, whose half-volley sails over the bar and into the stands!
    • 8' Excellent run down the left side from Bouazza, he puts another teasing ball across the box, Simon Davies attacks it at the near post, but Chris Kirkland sticks out a strong hand to nick it away from the Welshman!! Wigan's defence is being torn to shreds!
    • 7' Fine play from Fulham as Danny Murphy bursts into the box and forces a corner off Bramble. It comes in, and Bocanegra sees a header cleared off the line by Landzaat! An energetic start to proceedings here at Craven Cottage!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Alan Wiley

  • Fulham

    Manager: Ray Lewington

    Captain: Simon Davies

    On the Field

    • Niemi
    • Omozusi Substitution Out (60′)
    • Hughes
    • Bocanegra
    • Konchesky
    • Davies
    • Davis Substitution Out (59′)
    • Murphy
    • Bouazza
    • Dempsey Goal
    • Kamara

    Subs

    • Kuqi
    • Healy Substitution In (59′)
    • Ki-Hyeon
    • Baird Substitution In (60′)
    • Warner

    Injured

    • Christanval
    • Pearce
    • Cook
    • Bullard
    • McBride
    • Elliott

    Suspended

    • Leijer

  • Wigan Athletic

    Manager: Steve Bruce

    Captain: Paul Scharner

    On the Field

    • Kirkland
    • Boyce
    • Bramble
    • Scharner
    • Kilbane
    • Valencia
    • Brown
    • Landzaat
    • Taylor Substitution Out (86′)
    • Bent Goal
    • Aghahowa Substitution Out (64′)

    Subs

    • Sibierski
    • Skoko
    • Pollitt
    • Granqvist
    • Olembe Substitution In (86′)

    Injured

    • Nash

    Suspended

    • Melchiot