How Fulham stunned Juve – 15 years on
03/18/2025 01:28 PM
Nobody will ever tire of talking about how Roy Hodgson’s heroes dumped Juventus out of the Europa League on one of the greatest Craven Cottage nights of all fifteen years ago today.
Dickson Etuhu’s away goal in Turin proved more pivotal than anyone could have imagined, but any thoughts of a fightback seemed fanciful when David Trezeguet fired the Italian giants ahead after only three minutes. The Whites could have been forgiven for thinking they were down and out, but nobody told Bobby Zamora. In front of England manager Fabio Capello, Zamora utterly terrorised Fabio Cannavaro.
He left the centre half on the floor when he headed in a floated Paul Konchesky cross and Azzuri skipper eventually saw red for tugging back Zoltan Gera after another sublime bit of Zamora skill. The Fulham forward was only denied his second by a sensational save from Juve’s 39 year-old third-choice goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti. Simon Davies and Dickson Etuhu rattled the woodwork before the break to leave the home fans cursing their misfortune, but a well-worked move down the left flank culminated in Gera swept home Davies’ low cross to put Hodgson’s men in front on the night.
Gera then slammed home a spot-kick three minutes in the second half after a handball by Diego, but Fulham’s push for the clinching fourth was thwarted by Chimenti smothering a Zamora effort. Hodgson sent on Clint Dempsey for Steven Kelly and the rest is history. Dempsey’s magnificent chip – which he definitely meant, by the way – and the wild celebrations that followed were incredible. What a night.
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