Brede Hangeland was Fulham's goal hero as they claimed a 1-1 draw
at Shakhtar Donetsk to win their Europa League round of 32 tie 3-2.
Hangeland was part of the defence, including goalkeeper Mark
Schwarzer, that kept out almost everything the Ukrainians threw at
them at the vast Donbass Arena.
And Hangeland also popped up with Fulham's goal in the 33rd
minute - with virtually their first attack of the night - to set up
a stunning success for Roy Hodgson's men.
They had to withstand immense pressure in front of a
vociferous home crowd but finally got breached in the 69th minute
when Jadson fired Shakhtar level.
Fulham held out for the final, nerve-jangling last 20
minutes, though, to knock out the 2009 UEFA Cup winners and make
the last 16 of the revamped competition for the first time in their
history.
Only a stoppage-time red card for Danny Murphy, which will
rule him out of their next match, marred a memorable evening in
Donetsk.
Shakhtar, who had Luiz Adriano's away goal to show for their
efforts in the first leg at Craven Cottage, were quickly into their
stride with their five-strong Brazilian contingent looking sharp.
Schwarzer comfortably dealt with a low shot from Adriano in
the opening minute but he was called into more serious action just
two minutes later when he tipped a long-range effort from Willian
over the crossbar.
Adriano should have done better with an attempted curler
moments later but then, with the visitors retreating deeper and
deeper, Schwarzer kept his side on level terms with a superb diving
one-handed save to deny Fernandinho.
Fulham's overworked keeper then had to block another low
Willian drive midway through the first half and it was all hands to
pump in the visitors' box with striker Bobby Zamora hacking a
dangerous low centre clear before Schwarzer scrambled Yaroslav
Rakitsky's 30-yarder round a post.
But having stood up to the barrage, incredibly it was Fulham
who took the lead in the 34th minute.
Zamora won a free-kick down the right, Damien Duff floated in
the cross and Hangeland's glancing header beat the motionless
Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.
It cancelled out Adriano's strike seven days earlier, to the
delight of 350 hardy travelling fans, and meant Shakhtar needed to
score twice to stay in the tie.
The hosts were straight back on the attack after the break,
however, and Adriano headed captain Darijo Srna's cross into the
arms of Schwarzer.
But although Shakhtar continued to dominate, Hangeland was
imperious at the back, cutting out a driven centre from Razvan Rat
with an immaculate first touch and getting his head onto just about
everything else thrown at him.
With frustration growing in the home ranks, substitute
Douglas blazed an ambitious 25-yarder high over Schwarzer's
crossbar.
The Cottagers had a chance to kill off the tie when a rare
counter-attack saw Zamora break clear down the right but his square
cross, towards an unmarked Zoltan Gera, was cut out by defender
Olexander Kucher.
And the moment Fulham feared came in the 69th minute when
Douglas reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Jadson to
sweep past Schwarzer to level the match on the night.
Fulham hearts were in their mouths with 10 minutes to go when
a vicious curler from defender Rakitsky thundered into the
side-netting.
Then Douglas' shot was deflected wide off Murphy with
Shakhtar screaming for handball.
Gera passed up another chance to put Fulham clear when he
scuffed wide in the final minute, before Murphy was shown a red
card for kicking out at Srna moments before the final whistle.
It did not matter, though, as the Cottagers held on for a
famous success.
