Fulham Manager Hodgson: Nevland Red Card Handed Game To Roma

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson admitted his side were undone by the decision of referee Kevin Blom to send off Erik Nevland just four minutes into the second half of their Europa League tie with Roma.

Hodgson's side were leading 1-0 through Diomansy Kamara's penalty when Nevland was dismissed, and their backs-to-the-wall display in the second half fell short with John Arne Riise and Chuka Okaka scoring for the hosts in the final quarter of the match.

And although Fulham also had Paul Konchesky harshly sent off in injury time, Hodgson put the turnaround in fortunes down to Nevland's dismissal for a clumsy but hardly malicious tackle on Roma captain Daniele De Rossi.

"We thought it was an unbelievably harsh decision, it certainly changed the nature of the game," Hodgson told ITV Sport. "We had pretty much been in control up until that point.

"I'm very satisfied with the team's performance, we gave an excellent account of ourselves. But with the refereeing decision going against you, it's very difficult to get a result in games like this."

The result was made all the harder to take by the fact that Roma now move above Fulham into second place in Group E. The Italian side had also benefitted from the dismissal of Stephen Kelly in the first meeting between the sides a fortnight ago at Craven Cottage, where they equalised in the final minute.

"We are playing against a good team here and playing with 10 men was never going to be easy," admitted Hodgson. "I thought we made a really good effort to stay in the game, but in the end the pressure weighs on you.

"In the first game it took until the last minute, here it took until the 70th minute or so. We've had three sendings off in those two games and quite frankly I haven't seen one that's been deserved."

Asked if he believed Fulham could gain the results they require in the final two games against CSKA Sofia and FC Basel, Hodgson smiled: "If we play with 11 players we've have a chance I think."

Steven Saunders, Goal.com

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