Fulham fell short in its attempt to win a major trophy for the first time in its 131-year history.
Diego Forlan scored his second goal of the game with four minutes remaining in overtime, giving Atletico Madrid a 2-1 victory Wednesday night in the first Europa League final.
Fulham's Clint Dempsey became the first American to play in a European club soccer final when he entered in the 55th minute in place of Bobby Zamora, but 27-year-old from Nacogdoches, Texas, struggled to make an impact. A day earlier, Dempsey was selected for the 30-man preliminary U.S. World Cup roster.
The Europa League, the successor to the UEFA Cup, is Europe's No. 2 club competition behind the Champions League. The Cottagers' only other major final was a 2-0 loss to London neighbor West Ham in the 1975 FA Cup.
Overshadowed by Real Madrid, Atletico ended a record 14-year stretch without a major trophy. Real Madrid trails Barcelona in La Liga by one point with one game remain and has only an outside chance at a title this season.
``We now hope Madrid will dress in red and white,'' Forlan said. ``We are bringing a title back to Spain, and it is great for Spanish football.''
Forlan got his second goal of the game when he flicked Sergio Aguero's cross under his plant leg, and the ball deflected off defender Brede Hangeland and rolled past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
``We had no time left to recover from that,'' Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said. ``It's a bitter disappointment because I thought we deserved at least to go to penalties. It was an even game and a good one, I thought, but a goal changes everything.''
Forlan put Atletico ahead in the 32nd minute when he redirected a mis-hit shot by Aguero, but Simon Davies tied the score five minutes later with a right-footed volley.
``We deserved it,'' Forlan said ``It was an enormous sacrifice to get here. Now is the moment to enjoy it.''
Atletico's previous titles came when It won the Spanish league and cup double in 1996. It also plays Sevilla in the Copa Del Rey final on May 19.
``In time we'll appreciate what we've done,'' Forlan said. ``And now we go for the second trophy.''
Forlan, who earlier hit a post, was the only Atletico player not to celebrate at the final whistle. The Uruguayan instead shook hands with the exhausted Fulham players.
Zamora helped set up Fulham's goal but was forced from the field by the Achilles' tendon injury that kept him off England's preliminary World Cup roster.
