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Fulham's Hugo Rodallega heads late winner at Aston Villa to revive hopes
Fulham's Hugo Rodallega heads late winner at Aston Villa to revive hopes
(about 2 hours later)
The last time a Premier League team survived from the position Fulham found themselves in on Saturday was when Roy Hodgson inspired their great escape with four victories from their final six games six years ago. Now Hugo Rodallega has lit the fuse for hopes of an unlikely reprise as the substitute scored four minutes from time to take Fulham within five points of 17th-placed Norwich City, whom they host next weekend.
For Felix Magath, that notoriously tough taskmaster, to grant his players two days off is a measure of the significance of this victory after Fulham pulled to within five points of Norwich City, whom they host next week, following Hugo Rodallega's winner four minutes from time.
Rodallega scored Wigan Athletic's last-day survival goal at Stoke City three years ago and it was his introduction at half-time on Saturday that encouraged Fulham to take charge against an insipid Aston Villa team who should be safe from relegation but after three successive defeats might be advised to beware, now they have lost Christian Benteke through injury.
The last time a Premier League team survived from the position Fulham found themselves in before this win was when Roy Hodgson inspired their great escape with four victories from their final six matches six years ago. Uncannily, all the remaining games fall on the same dates as those from the end of the 2007-08 season.
After Grant Holt had equalised Kieran Richardson's opening goal in a second half as thrilling as the first half was dull, Rodallega rose to head on Lewis Holtby's diagonal cross beyond Brad Guzan. It was only the second win in Fulham's last 14 games all told, both during Felix Magath's seven-game reign.
Rodallega scored Wigan Athletic's last-gasp survival goal at Stoke City three years ago and it was his introduction at half-time on Saturday that encouraged Fulham to take charge against an insipid Aston Villa team who should be safe from relegation but, after three successive defeats and the loss of Christian Benteke, may be advised to take care.
Fulham are the only team with more home defeats than Villa in the Premier League this season. Now they need to find their form at home if they are to retain their status in this season of three managers.
After Grant Holt had equalised Kieran Richardson's opening goal in a second half as thrilling as the first half was dull, Rodallega rose to head on Lewis Holtby's diagonal cross beyond Brad Guzan for his first league goal of the season.
Magath can never be accused of not giving anyone a chance. The three changes he made for his starting lineup for this game took to 25 the total he has made in his first seven matches in charge; though few have enhanced Fulham's chances of staying up.
Magath admitted that Fulham's chances of staying up would have been over if they had lost this match after Rodallega, who has started only two league games this season, fulfilled his pre-match promise to score if he was given the chance.
It could be said Fulham have a favourable run-in, with Norwich City, Hull City and Crystal Palace still to play at home, but this would require them to be in control of their own form which, under this third manager of a depressing season, cannot be argued with any degree of confidence.
"I think this was our last chance for us to stay in the league," he said. "For us to win in the last five minutes is a signal to everybody that we are back in the league. Everyone at the game could see we want to stay in this league. We have to win our games now. It doesn't matter which team will come. We need to win three of the last games at least to stay in the league. This win will give us confidence."
Villa, lacking Benteke, out with a ruptured achilles for six months, and Gabriel Agbonlahor in attack and Fabian Delph, their best player this season, from midfield, looked vulnerable, even there for the taking, but Fulham had not won away since Boxing Day and lined up so cagily it appeared they would be content to go home with a single point.
The first half was a laboured affair as Villa, having lost Benteke for six months with a ruptured achilles, as well as Gabriel Agbonlahor, Fabian Delph and Karim El Ahmadi to shorter-term ailments, looked content to play for the point that might also have suited Fulham at any other stage of the season.
Paul Lambert was obliged to name four full-backs in his starting XI, which suggested that, already eight points clear of the drop zone at kick-off, he would not be averse to a draw either. However, the Villa defence were prone to giving the ball away. Nathan Baker passed to Cauley Woodrow, the callow Fulham striker, who sent Pajtim Kasami in down the left only for Brad Guzan to parry and Steve Sidwell to be given offside before he could convert the rebound.
But inhibitions were cast aside in a thrilling second half as Magath introduced Rodallega and Ashkan Dejagah and pushed Richardson forward on the left-wing. Suddenly the game was as open and end-to-end as a playground match.
Late in the half the hapless Joe Bennett passed back for Sascha Riether, who beat Baker, when the Villa centre-back dived in, and scurried down the inside-right channel only, with no options on offer, to shoot to where Guzan was able to save adroitly.
Leandro Bacuna ran in from wide on the right to force a good save from David Stockdale who then held high Andreas Weimann's powerful shot from Holt's pull-back as Villa attempted to raise their game.
Marc Albrighton buzzed and weaved enthusiastically for Villa and it was from his cross that Grant Holt headed just wide.
But Fulham were unshackled, imbued with enhanced belief, and when Dejagah crossed low from the right Richardson, an integral part of West Bromwich Albion's great escape round these parts in 2005, dispatched a fierce, left-footed shot into the far top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
It was as if these two teams had been so fearful of losing they forgot about the possibilities of winning. But Magath made two more changes at half-time that suggested he sensed an unlikely victory and, immediately, Rodallega stretched the play more with his desire to get in behind.
So after Holt equalised with his first Villa goal, finding freedom in the penalty area to head in Marc Albrighton's corner with 20 minutes remaining in front of the Holte End, Rodallega was an appropriate matchwinner.
With Ashkan Dejagah attacking from wide right, the game opened up frantically, play switching from end to end as nonsensically as it had been caged in the middle third in the opening period. Leandro Bacuna, picking up Holt's knockdown from Ron Vlaar's long pass, ran in from wide right to force a good save from David Stockdale who then held high Andreas Weimann's powerful shot from Holt's pull-back.
Lewis Holtby had an effort cleared off the line by Matt Lowton after dribbling round Brad Guzan, Michael Oliver checking his GDS watch, before Rodallega kept Fulham's hopes alive with his crucial intervention.
But Fulham were by now infused with greater belief, so it was barely a surprise when they took the lead just after the hour mark, when Dejagah squared the ball from the right for Kieran Richardson to unleash a fierce, left-footed shot into the far top corner.
"He has shown in the training stations he is in a good shape," Magath said. "I asked him today if he comes in will he be in good shape and he said yes and that he will score.
Richardson was an integral part of West Bromwich Albion's great escape round these parts in 2005 but Fulham need something almost more remarkable, more akin to that achieved by Roy Hodgson's side six years ago.
"Our fans supported us for 90 minutes, and you can imagine now how the players in the locker room are happy, happy. They forced me to give them two days off so I have. They deserved it after today."
Although Holt equalised with his first Villa goal, finding freedom in the penalty area to head in Albrighton's corner with 20 minutes remaining, Fulham kept going for it.
Villa's manager, Paul Lambert said: "Looking at the table and fixtures, there are some real hard games for everyone."
Holtby dribbled round Guzan only for Matt Lowton to clear off the line but then, with four minutes remaining, came the moment that keeps their hopes alive.
