Fulham v Man City 1-2 | Martin Jol post match Interview /football
- 10 years ago
Edin Dzeko scored a minute after coming off the bench to give Manchester City a dramatic late win over Fulham.
The Cottagers took an early lead when Pablo Zabaleta was adjudged to have fouled John Arne Riise in the area and Mladen Petric slammed home the penalty.
Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer made a series of fine saves before Sergio Aguero levelled from close range.
And City were unable to turn pressure into chances before Dzeko slammed home a Gael Clichy cross in the 87th minute.
The champions had failed to triumph in their four previous games in all competitions, so this was a welcome return to winning ways for Roberto Mancini's men - especially because it seemed victory was set to elude them again.
Despite his side's uncertain start to the defence of their title, Mancini declared this week that they would win the league again this season - but on this evidence they still lack the fluidity in front of goal that was so vital to that success.
Their cause in west London was not helped by the questionable early penalty awarded to Fulham by referee Mark Halsey, who was at the centre of controversy last weekend when he made a police complaint after receiving insulting Tweets following his decisions in Manchester United's win over Liverpool.There was minimal contact from Zabaleta's hand on Riise's midriff as the Fulham defender cut into the area, but it was enough to send Riise tumbling to the ground and, after Halsey pointed to the spot, Petric made no mistake with his penalty.
Any sense of injustice over that decision did not fuel an immediate response from City, who saw plenty of the ball but made few inroads into the Fulham area as they searched for a leveller.
In fact, the Cottagers were looking more dangerous on the break, with Petric wasting a decent sight of goal when he blazed over from the edge of the box after good work by Hugo Rodallega down the left.
Only around the half-hour mark did City begin to seriously threaten and Aguero should have done better when
The Cottagers took an early lead when Pablo Zabaleta was adjudged to have fouled John Arne Riise in the area and Mladen Petric slammed home the penalty.
Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer made a series of fine saves before Sergio Aguero levelled from close range.
And City were unable to turn pressure into chances before Dzeko slammed home a Gael Clichy cross in the 87th minute.
The champions had failed to triumph in their four previous games in all competitions, so this was a welcome return to winning ways for Roberto Mancini's men - especially because it seemed victory was set to elude them again.
Despite his side's uncertain start to the defence of their title, Mancini declared this week that they would win the league again this season - but on this evidence they still lack the fluidity in front of goal that was so vital to that success.
Their cause in west London was not helped by the questionable early penalty awarded to Fulham by referee Mark Halsey, who was at the centre of controversy last weekend when he made a police complaint after receiving insulting Tweets following his decisions in Manchester United's win over Liverpool.There was minimal contact from Zabaleta's hand on Riise's midriff as the Fulham defender cut into the area, but it was enough to send Riise tumbling to the ground and, after Halsey pointed to the spot, Petric made no mistake with his penalty.
Any sense of injustice over that decision did not fuel an immediate response from City, who saw plenty of the ball but made few inroads into the Fulham area as they searched for a leveller.
In fact, the Cottagers were looking more dangerous on the break, with Petric wasting a decent sight of goal when he blazed over from the edge of the box after good work by Hugo Rodallega down the left.
Only around the half-hour mark did City begin to seriously threaten and Aguero should have done better when