Roma 2-1 Fulham: Erik Nevland Red Card Aids Roma Fightback

Roma 2-1 Fulham - Lineups/Stats
Europa League Results, Standings

Fulham were left wondering what might have been after seeing a red card for Erik Nevland spark a Roma fightback in their Europa League Group H clash in the Italian capital.

The English side led at half-time through Diomansy Kamara's penalty on 18 minutes, but Nevland - who had only just replaced the injured Kamara at half-time - was stunned to see referee Kevin Blom produce a red card for a sliding challenge on Roma captain Danielle De Rossi.

It gave Roma the encouragement they needed, and two goals in eight minutes from John Arne Riise and then Chuka Okaka swung the game in the Italian club's favour. Paul Konchesky was also dismissed by referee Blom in injury time.

This result means that the Giallorossi supplant Fulham in second place in the group with two games remaining, trailing leaders Basel by a point. Fulham drop to third, but can take heart from their display. Roma, however, will argue that they dominated both possession and chances and thus fully deserved their win.

The Lupi introduced Daniele De Rossi and Julio Baptista back to the starting line-up, with Mirko Vucinic leading the line in the absence of Francesco Totti.

Meanwhile Fulham manager Roy Hodgson made three changes from the side that defeated Liverpool 3-1 on Premier League business last Saturday, with midfield trio Zoltan Gera, Bjorn Helge Riise and Dickson Etuhu replacing Damien Duff, Chris Baird and Bobby Zamora.

Within a minute, though, Fulham were granted a much better chance. Dempsey cut the ball back on the right side of the box and as Kamara shifted it onto his left foot, his right was swept from him by Marco Andreolli, who was booked for the challenge. Kamara, who moments earlier looked as though he was going to be substituted due to an injury, stepped up and sent Doni the wrong way with the penalty.

It sent the travelling Fulham support wild, but the size of their task in holding on was soon made apparent. Cicinho bought a yard of space on the right flank in the 24th minute and swung over a wonderfully inviting cross that a leaping Philippe Mexes only narrowly failed to head on target.

Roma then felt they should have had a penalty of their own with four minutes to go in the first half. From a short corner, Mexes blasted in a right-footed shot that struck a bewildered John Pantsil on the arm. However, the referee, and his assistants both on the touchline and behind the Fulham goal, decided there was no intent on the Fulham defender’s part.

Roma made two changes at half-time. Goalkeeper Doni appeared to hurt his thigh while clearing in the latter stages of the first half, so was replaced by Julio Sergio, while Taddei replaced Cicinho in what appeared a tactical switch.

There was a stunning turn of events within four minutes of the restart. Nevland, who had only just come on for Kamara at the interval, was amazingly shown a straight red card for a sliding challenge on Danielle De Rossi. It was certainly a clumsy tackle from behind, but even Roma’s own players seemed startled by referee Blom’s decision.

Shortly after, a fizzing shot from forced a smart tip over the bar from Mark Schwarzer, the Fulham keeper’s first serious test of the night. Then Andreolli almost made amends for his concession of the penalty with a header from Guberti’s deep cross that landed in the sidenetting.

Guberti, after a quiet first half, was coming more and more into the game and in the 54th minute forced Schwarzer to touch his vicious left-foot shot over the bar. A succession of corners followed as Roma began to set up camp deep in Fulham territory. Baptista was soon making room for a shot from 20 yards, but it was straight at Schwarzer.

On 67 minutes, John Arne Riise was finally afforded the chance to let loose with a free-kick that was deflected behind off the back of brother Bjorn Helge in Fulham colours. From the resulting corner, the same scenario presented itself, but to disastrous effect for Fulham. John Arne Riise was left with too much time and space on the edge of the box and his fierce drive found the net off an unfortunate deflection from his sibling.

De Rossi should have been awarded a corner when his fizzing shot from 25 yards was nudged over the bar by Schwarzer. But on 75 minutes, Roma's continued pressure told. Taddei provided the cross from the right and Okaka rose unmarked to power a header beyond the despairing dive of Schwarzer.

Aaron Hughes was then called upon to clear substitute Jeremy Menez's low shot off the line after Schwarzer had charged from his line to clear from Okaka. The Fulham goalkeeper was better positioned to save from Okaka's acrobatic volley from the edge of the box with three minutes remaining.

Another surprising red card was to come for Fulham, with Konchesky dismissed in the first minute of stoppage time for a challenge on Taddei.

Steven Saunders, Goal.com