Europa League Final - Fulham v A. Madrid - First Half - Part 3
This has been a season without limits for resilient Fulham and 116 minutes had passed before Diego Forlán, with the aid of a deflection off the outstanding Brede Hangeland, settled the Europa League final in Hamburg tonight. The scorer had been effervescent and skilful throughout although the losers should feel only pride, despite the immediate hurt at the end of campaign that opened in July. Over the course of the match there were fluctuations. If Atlético were more reliable in possession, Roy Hodgson's men were marshalled excellently in defence by Hangeland and could be pointed when they did move onto the attack. A pause was still appropriate to marvel that this English club should fight for such a prize. Atlético, European Cup finalists of 1974 who had won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1962, are fairly accustomed to competing at this sort of level. The leading players of yesteryear may seem an irrelevance when their current successors find themselves struggling for control of a game, but clubs in their entirety become adapted over the decades to contests in these tournaments. Fulham have been on more of a crash course, although the opposition have come off worse in any collisions. Hodgson is a manager of such cosmopolitan experience that he carries enough know-how to enlighten an entire squad. This final was another challenge and in the opening 15 minutes there were moments when they looked ill at ease. Atlético could have been in front after Danny Murphy gave the ball away <b>...</b>
