Fulham crushes Norwich 5-0 in season opener

Published Aug. 18, 2012 12:55 p.m. ET

foxsports

Fulham shrugged off Clint Dempsey's refusal to play for the club again by making a spectacular start to the Premier League season on Saturday, crushing Norwich 5-0.

Damien Duff fired the home side ahead with a shot from the edge of the area in the 26th minute and Croatia forward Mladen Petric headed home a second from close range in 41st.

Petric scored his second of the day soon after the restart, Swedish midfielder Alex Kacaniklic added the fourth and substitute Steve Sidwell scored a late penalty to turn victory into a rout.

Coach Martin Jol announced Friday that Dempsey, who top-scored last season for Fulham with 23 goals in 46 games, was refusing to play for the team because he wants to move to a bigger club.