FOOTBALL Live

Saturday April 26, 2008 Finished City of Manchester Stadium

Logo 2 - Logo 3

Manchester City

  • Ireland 10’
  • Benjani 21’

Fulham

  • Kamara 69’, 89’
  • Murphy 78’
  1. Fulham's stunning comeback

    Fulham's stunning comeback

    An injury-time goal from substitiute Diomansy Kamara earned Fulham an incredible comeback 3-2 victory at Manchester City to keep alive their chances of avoiding relegation. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Manchester City
    • Fulham
    • - Incredible match; Fulham come from 2-0 down to force a stunning 3-2 victory! Thanks for joining me; make sure you stick around for all the reaction from today's Premier League clashes.
    • 93 AND THERE IS THE FINAL WHISTLE! WHAT A COMEBACK FROM FULHAM! THEY KEEP ALIVE THEIR CHANCES OF AVOIDING THE DROP!
    • 90 KAMARA IS SET FREE DOWN THE LEFT, AND HE LASHES A LEFT-FOOT SHOT INTO THE TOP CORNER!
    • 90 GOAL! KAMARA!
    • 89 WIDE! Caicedo slices a shot wide from 10 yards out after Benjani had this time picked him out...another great chance spurned by City.
    • 88 WHAT A CHANCE! Benjani opts to pass when one-on-one with Keller...it seems a good idea, with Caidedo in space...but the pass has too much pace on it and the chance goes!
    • 87 SLICED! Petrov slices a volley wide from eight yards out after being picked out by Elano
    • 84 SIDE NETTING! Benjani holds the ball up before feeding Geovanni inside the box...but his fierce shot hits the side-netting!
    • 83 SAVE! Dempsey climbs highest at the back post to meet a cross from the right...but he plants his header straight at Hart. What a finish to this match!
    • 82 SO CLOSE! Bullard fires a long-range effort a foot or so over the bar...Hart was at full stretch there, but the ball just dipped over the bar.
    • 81 WIDE! Geovanni sprints through the middle on a counter...Benjani slips, so the Brazilian takes it on himself...but drags his shot from 18 yards wide of the far post.
    • 80 Fulham are really pressing for a winner now! Ball is forced to cut out a pass on the edge of the box as the visitors flood forward....
    • 79 GOAL! Hart saves the initial penalty, but pushes the ball back into the path of Murphy, who fires home from close-range!
    • 78 PENALTY FULHAM! The referee deems Sun has pulled down Nevland as the two challenge for a cross...very harsh decision...here comes Murphy...
    • 76 Petrov gets to the by-line and hangs over a cross...Fulham clear and mount a counter-attack...
    • 75 Fulham are mounting a bit of pressure here...Stalteri gets down the right and fires over a cross...Corluka clears...
    • 74 Hodgson comes out of his dugout to collect the ball and urge on his side...a glimmer of hope for them here in the final twenty minutes...
    • 73 WIDE! Petrov hits a first-time volley a few yards wide after being picked out on the edge of the box by Elano...
    • 72 SAVE! Bullard brings a good save out of Hart with a nice free-kick, curled towards the top corner...after dominating the match, there are just a few signs of nerves from the City players and fans at the moment...
    • 71 Fulham earn a free-kick on the edge of the City box when Ball dives in on Kamara after just losing possession...nervous times for City here...
    • 69 GOAL! KAMARA! Some fairly slack defending from Corulka, who allows Kamara to reach a through-ball from the right...and then allows him to turn and fire a low shot through the legs of Hart!
    • 67 Benjani is set free down the left channel...he looks inside for support and chips a little cross meant for Vassell...cut out on the penalty spot.
    • 66 Hart clatters Corluka in coming to make a punch on the edge of the box...the Croatian needs some treatment, but he looks okay...
    • 65 Fulham are growing a bit disheartened here...they can sense the Premier League is slipping away from them...Kamara has come on to try and inject some more life up front...
    • 63 OOH! CLOSE! The little midfielder steps up and curls his effort goalwards...Hart dives full length...just wide.
    • 62 Fulham are awarded a free-kick, 35 yards out, for an apparent foul by Sun on Davies...Bullard stands over the ball...
    • 60 NOT ON HIS RIGHT! Benjani's hard work earns a shooting chance for Petrov on the edge of the box...but it is on his "swinger," his right foot...and the ball is dragged hopelessly wide.
    • 58 Vassell is set free down the left channel by Geovanni...Hughes does well to stick with him and block his attempted cross to Benjani...
    • 56 Corluka almost picks out Sun, in space down the left...but the ball just skips out of play...a pity, he was in plenty space...
    • 55 Ireland is the man to make way...he has played well today...Geovanni comes on to warm applause from the City fans...
    • 54 City are preparing to make a change...Geovanni is receiving some final instructions on the City bench...
    • 53 Davies again brings down Sun as he cuts inside in the Fulham half...City free-kick...they are happy just to keep possession at the moment...bit of a slow start to the half...
    • 51 Sun is brought down by Davies...the China international has played well this afternoon
    • 49 SAVE! Benjani hits a low shot from a tight angle straight at Keller at the near post as City start the second half in search of a killer third
    • 48 SAVE! Vassell brings a smart save out of Keller after sneaking around the back of the Fulham defence and hitting a first-time left-foot shot from a tight angle...
    • 47 No changes at the break...Hodgson has Kamara on the bench if he wanted to make an atttacking change...
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: Ireland's deflected strike and Benjani's close-range finish look to have put Fulham on the brink of relegation...
    • 45 ALMOST! Another ranging Elano pass through the middle almost finds Petrov...Keller comes to the edge of his box and just manages to claim the ball without stepping out of the area...
    • 44 Bullard leads a counter-attack through the middle...he has players to left and right...instead opts to shoot - but it's a really poor effort from distance...
    • 42 Elano's cross strikes Dempsey in the groin...he collapses to the ground, in some pain...play is stopped whilst he checks himself over...all seems to be okay.
    • 40 CONFUSION! Some really shoddy City defending as Ball's clearance hits Corluka and runs straight to Healy eight yards out...he spins and fires in his shot...blocked bravely by Sun on the cover...
    • 40 Gelson fires a nice ball over to the left to Petrov, who steps around Stalteri...but his cross to the back post is beyond Vassell...
    • 38 Again, Vassell is almost put through...this time Benjani looks to feed him with a cute ball through the middle, but a defender's leg just flicks the ball back to the keeper.
    • 37 Ireland almost releases Vassell, who controls the ball well but can't get past Stalteri...City do look dangerous with all the space Fulham are leaving.
    • 35 INCREDIBLE SAVE! Another high cross into the middle...Healy meets it, but Hart pulls off a superb reaction save to tip the ball over the bar!
    • 34 Nice spell of possession for Fulham, who are committing plenty of players forward, as you might expect...City don't look incredibly assured at the back, I have to admit...
    • 33 Manchester boxing legend Ricky Hatton is spotted in the crowd...big City fan...indeed, had trials at the club as a youth.
    • 31 City win their first corner of the match as Petrov tries to get round Stalteri down the left...Petrov's set-piece is cleared at the near post.
    • 30 GOOD DEFENDING! Petrov, found by another raking Elano pass, fires in a wicked cross from the left...Ireland has burst into the box, but Bocanegra clears from inside his own six-yard box...
    • 29 Good composed defending from the classy Corluka, many City fans' player of the season...
    • 27 Fulham win their third corner of the match...they have looked dangerous when they throw high balls into the City box...but Benjani clears this one at the near post.
    • 26 Benjani gets free down the right...he shows good pace to keep the ball in play before clipping a cross into the middle...Vassell has made good ground, but Bocanegra clears...
    • 25 After a spell of treatment, Elano comes back on; very brave of the Brazilian, who has done a sterling job at full-back over the last couple of games...
    • 24 Elano is down...he took a stray arm to the face from Dempsey...looks a bad facial wound, actually...he needs treatment... this could be the end of Elano...he has a massive bruise, like a boxer's, under his eye.
    • 23 Fulham need a win to stay up...they are going to have to push and press forward now...City should find plenty of space to exploit...could be more goals in this...
    • 22 It's looking bleak for Fulham now...boss Roy Hodgson looks very disheartened on the bench...
    • 21 BENJANI! Vassell sprints down the right, released by Elano...Keller hesitates in coming out, Vassell pulls the ball back...met by Benjani with a firm finish!
    • 20 Petrov clips a cross to the far post...Vassell gets up well, but the ball is just too high for him...
    • 19 Good work from full-back Sun as he prevents Healy getting his cross in from the right...Sven will be thankful for Sun's versatility with all the injuries he has in defence...
    • 18 ANOTHER GOOD SAVE! Hart is tested again, this time from distance by Bullard...he gets down well to palm the effort away...
    • 17 Petrov combines well with Ireland down the left...he breaks into the box from the flank..but his pass to Vassell is cut out on the edge of the six-yard box...
    • 15 City believe there is still a chance of making Europe this year...it looks slim, but they could perhaps still do it. They need a win here though...pressure on both sides...
    • 13 MISTAKE BY KELLER! The Fulham keeper comes out to try to collect a ball through the left channel...he slips, and Benjani sprints on to the ball...but just can't keep it in play, with Keller out of position...
    • 12 Elano lifts a hopeful ball through the middle...it looks for a moment like Benjani will be able to chase it down, but the ball skids off the turf to Keller...
    • 11 It was a great effort from Ireland, although the deflection off Murphy was decisive in giving the ball the extra lift to get over the dive of Keller...
    • 10 GOAL! Stevie Ireland! The little Irish midfielder collects Petrov's backheel on the edge of the box before curling a deflected effort into the far corner!
    • 8 Elano turns a dangerous low cross out for another Fulham corner...eventually dealt with by City, although far from convincingly...
    • 6 GREAT SAVE! Hart brilliantly turns Dempsey's low shot around the post after the Fulham man had met McBride's low ball into the box.
    • 5 Ball tries to feed Petrov down the left...it looks a good ball, but the linesman flags the ball out of play...bright start from both sides...
    • 4 FIRST SHOT! Bullard lets fly from 30 yards...tamely wide of the post.
    • 3 Johnson spreads the ball out wide to Elano, who has got forward from the back..his attempted first-time cross on the volley drifts over the bar...
    • 3 City have some big defensive problems today, with Dunne, Richards and Onouha all out...Elano again deputises at right-back...
    • 2 Fulham win an early free-kick for a handball by Sun...drilled low into the box, cleared on the penalty spot...
    • 1 OFF WE GO!
    • 0 The players are out, the crowd are ready, and we're about to kick off...
    • - Hi there; welcome to our coverage of this Premier League match from the City of Manchester Stadium - an important one, as Fulham could be relegated with a defeat...

  • Team Stats

    Manchester City Stats Fulham
    48% Possession 51%
    12 Shots 19
    5 Shots on target 10
    4 Saves 3
    3 Corners 4
    7 Fouls 11
    4 Offsides 3
    0 Yellow cards 1
    0 Red cards 0
    20 Tackles 13
    333 Accurate passes 375
    70 Bad passes 50

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Manchester City
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      25 Joe Hart 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 2 0
      17 Sun Jihai 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 40 15 4
      3 Michael Ball 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 3 1
      16 Vedran Corluka 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 35 3 3
      28 Gelson Fernandes 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 37 7 2
      6 Michael Johnson 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 40 10 1
      7 Stephen Ireland 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 27 5 1
      11 Blumer Elano 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 35 5 5
      15 Martin Petrov 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 31 10 0
      27 Benjamin Mwaruwari 1 3 2 4 1 2 0 20 5 1
      12 Darius Vassell 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 13 2 2
      20 Felipe Caicedo 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0
      8 Marcio Geovanni 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 16 2 0
      1 Andreas Isaksson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      38 Shaleum Logan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      30 Nery Castillo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Fulham
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Kasey Keller 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0
      18 Aaron Hughes 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 28 0 3
      4 Paul Konchesky 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 10 2
      17 Paul Stalteri 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 44 1 0
      32 Brede Hangeland 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 36 4 2
      27 Danny Murphy 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 46 8 3
      21 Jimmy Bullard 0 6 2 0 1 0 0 62 11 0
      25 Simon Davies 0 1 0 2 2 1 0 38 4 0
      9 David Healy 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 16 3 0
      20 Brian McBride 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 17 2 1
      23 Clint Dempsey 0 5 2 2 0 0 0 33 5 2
      12 Tony Warner 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      11 Diomansy Kamara 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 6 2 0
      3 Carlos Bocanegra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      26 Leon Andreasen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      15 Erik Nevland 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 0 0

  • Summary

    • 84 SIDE NETTING! Benjani holds the ball up before feeding Geovanni inside the box...but his fierce shot hits the side-netting!
    • 83 SAVE! Dempsey climbs highest at the back post to meet a cross from the right...but he plants his header straight at Hart. What a finish to this match!
    • 78 PENALTY FULHAM! The referee deems Sun has pulled down Nevland as the two challenge for a cross...very harsh decision...here comes Murphy...
    • 69 GOAL! KAMARA! Some fairly slack defending from Corulka, who allows Kamara to reach a through-ball from the right...and then allows him to turn and fire a low shot through the legs of Hart!
    • 63 OOH! CLOSE! The little midfielder steps up and curls his effort goalwards...Hart dives full length...just wide.
    • 60 NOT ON HIS RIGHT! Benjani's hard work earns a shooting chance for Petrov on the edge of the box...but it is on his "swinger," his right foot...and the ball is dragged hopelessly wide.
    • 45 ALMOST! Another ranging Elano pass through the middle almost finds Petrov...Keller comes to the edge of his box and just manages to claim the ball without stepping out of the area...
    • 40 CONFUSION! Some really shoddy City defending as Ball's clearance hits Corluka and runs straight to Healy eight yards out...he spins and fires in his shot...blocked bravely by Sun on the cover...
    • 21 BENJANI! Vassell sprints down the right, released by Elano...Keller hesitates in coming out, Vassell pulls the ball back...met by Benjani with a firm finish!
    • 10 GOAL! Stevie Ireland! The little Irish midfielder collects Petrov's backheel on the edge of the box before curling a deflected effort into the far corner!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Manchester City

    Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson

    On the Field

    • Hart
    • Elano
    • Corluka
    • Ball
    • Sun
    • Ireland Goal Substitution Out (55′)
    • Johnson
    • Gelson
    • Petrov
    • Benjani Goal
    • Vassell Substitution Out (79′)

    Subs

    • Isaksson
    • Geovanni Substitution In55′
    • Garrido
    • Felipe Caicedo Substitution In79′
    • Logan

    Injured

    • Dunne
    • Bojinov
    • Onuoha

    Suspended

    None

  • Fulham

    Manager: Roy Hodgson

    Captain: Brian McBride

    On the Field

    • Keller
    • Stalteri
    • Hangeland
    • Hughes
    • Konchesky
    • Dempsey
    • Bullard
    • Murphy Goal
    • Davies
    • McBride
    • Healy

    Subs

    • Nevland
    • Kamara Goals×2
    • Bocanegra
    • Andreasen
    • Warner

    Injured

    • Litmanen
    • Omozusi

    Suspended

    None