All it took was one goal. It didn't matter that Reading was carving through Derby County like an electric knife through a cooked ham, or that Birmingham City had taken the lead at home against Blackburn. All Fulham needed was one goal to ensure their Premier League survival.After 76 minutes, they got it on a Jimmy Bullard free kick that found Danny Murphy in the box. Murphy's header found the back of the net, giving Fulham a 1-0 lead. A furious attack by Portsmouth was stymied for 90 minutes by Kasey Keller, and the Cottagers got the win they needed to avoid the relegation that looked dead certain a month ago.
We no longer have to ask what will happen to American soccer stars Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey. They'll be back at Craven Cottage next season. Perhaps if McBride and Bullard avoid injuries and play full seasons, Fulham can avoid the relegation battle all together in 2009.
As for Reading, their six-game goal drought doomed them to the fizzy drink mixer, and manager Steve Coppell will face a huge struggle to bring his club back up. Same goes for Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, who discovered the hard way that Scottish football doesn't always prepare you for English football.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Everton clinched a second consecutive UEFA Cup bid with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle. Ayegbeni Yakubu scored twice to help Everton end the season with a 5th-place finish. Aston Villa settled for a 2-2 draw at West Ham and will have to get through the Intertoto Cup to get into Europe. Manchester City, meanwhile, could still get their Fair Play UEFA Cup reward despite a red card by Richard Dunne and an 8-1 spanking at Middlesbrough.
Click here for the final Premier League table.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. A great escape...in my eyes not quite as impressive as West Ham's last season, but a brilliant fight to safety for the Cottagers. Good to see the United States of Fulham will have another chance next year.
Posted at 9:36PM on May 11th 2008 by Slade
2. Yes, but Fulham's escape didn't involve any rule-breaking that should have cost them ten points.
What's awesome is that thanks to Man City's red-card in that hilariously painful match against Boro, Fulham might have earned themselves a UEFA Cup spot for fair play. High comedy.
Posted at 9:49PM on May 12th 2008 by Jeff