Sunday Fulham Stuff (28/04/19)...

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Results

Saturday
Spurs	0 - 1	West Ham
Palace	0 - 0	Everton
Fulham	1 - 0	Cardiff
Southampton	3 - 3	Bournemouth
Watford	1 - 2	Wolves
Brighton	1 - 1	Newcastle

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Fulham 1-0 Cardiff City

Ryan Babel scored his fifth goal for Fulham since joining from Besiktas in January

Cardiff City's hopes of Premier League survival are hanging by the thinnest of threads after Ryan Babel's beautiful curling strike consigned them to defeat at already-relegated Fulham.

Chances were scarce in a disjointed first half which included a long delay as Fulham's Denis Odoi was taken off on a stretcher after he was accidentally kicked in the head by his team-mate Maxime Le Marchand.

The entertainment improved after the break, with both sides playing with greater urgency and creating several chances to score before Babel struck with a brilliant first-time effort from 20 yards to break Cardiff hearts.

Neil Warnock's side rallied with a flurry of late efforts on goal which prompted a string of fine saves from Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico - but those exertions proved in vain.

Cardiff remain 18th in the Premier League table, four points behind Brighton - and with a goal difference 14 worse than the Seagulls - with only two games to play this season.

Brighton came from behind to draw 1-1 with Newcastle in Saturday's late kick-off although Cardiff fans will take heart from the fact the Seagulls face Arsenal and Manchester City in their final two fixtures.

Cardiff's valiant effort in vain
Written off at the start of the season, and dealt several setbacks over the course of the campaign, Cardiff seem to have been clinging on to their Premier League status for what seems like an age.

They simply would not go away - a pugnacious outfit built in the image of their manager Warnock, unwilling to follow Fulham by making an instant return to the Championship.

However, this result might mean the Bluebirds will be unable to avoid that fate. Because of Brighton's superior goal difference Cardiff must effectively win both their remaining fixtures to have a chance of staying up.

At Craven Cottage they battled valiantly and defended diligently but, as has often been the case this season, they lacked the quality to really trouble their opponents.

Set-pieces seemed Cardiff's likeliest route to a goal as they struggled to conjure the kind of nous and touch required to fashion scoring opportunities in open play.

With Storm Hannah still making itself felt with blustery winds on the banks of the Thames, the Welsh side looked to exploit the conditions by sending a series of free-kicks and throws swirling into the Fulham box.

Following one free-kick launched from the halfway line by Lee Peltier, captain Sean Morrison was manhandled by Aleksandar Mitrovic but had his appeals for a penalty ignored by referee Chris Kavanagh.

It was not until they fell behind that Cardiff truly threatened; Junior Hoilett hitting the crossbar with one effort before Morrison and Danny Ward forced Rico into action.

But by then the writing was already on the wall.

Cardiff confounded expectations by winning promotion in the first place and, even by Warnock and his players' odds-defying standards, avoiding relegation from their current predicament would be an escape act of Houdini proportions.

Fulham's schadenfreude
These two sides were adversaries before they were locked in this battle to avoid relegation, having both vied for automatic promotion from the Championship last season.

Fulham were widely regarded as the neutrals' choice with their aesthetically-pleasing style. However, it was Cardiff who prevailed with their less attractive but ultimately more effective approach, with Fulham eventually promoted via the play-offs.

That clash of styles prompted a fair bit of debate - and bickering - between the two sets of fans and, while most of it was good natured, there was a sense at Craven Cottage that Fulham's supporters wanted their side to drag Cardiff down to the second tier with them.

They had reason to be confident of doing so because, after their relegation was confirmed on 2 April following a ninth successive defeat, the Cottagers actually won their matches against Everton and Bournemouth.

On this occasion, they initially reverted to the kind of form which saw them sink into the bottom three; struggling to play with any fluency as they seemed unsettled by Cardiff's uncompromising approach.

The home side improved in the second half and, after Mitrovic squandered a handful of chances, Babel sent his dipping, arcing 20-yard shot over the despairing dive of Neil Etheridge to give interim Fulham manager Scott Parker a third successive victory.

If anyone was in any doubt about how much Fulham's fans enjoyed beating Cardiff and contributing to their probable relegation, they offered an unequivocal answer in the form of their gleeful chant: "You're going down with the Fulham."

Man of the match - Ryan Babel (Fulham)

Former Liverpool man Ryan Babel was Fulham's likeliest source of a goal throughout and ultimately provided the game's abiding memory with his sublime strike

'A special goal' - what they said

Fulham caretaker boss Scott Parker: "Ryan Babel's goal was special. He has come up with a fantastic strike and won us the game.

"Also it was a massive positive for goalkeeper Sergio Rico, he stood up and so did the back four.

"It has been a tough year, we have conceded a lot of goals but three clean sheets is massive."

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock: "I am disappointed but could not have asked anymore of them. We couldn't have scored if we carried on till Christmas.

"The luck has been against us. On reflection my team selection was wrong, but you can't fault the lads. Who is to stay we are not still in the fight?

"You see the chances, we should score some of those chances. You pay for your finishers in this league, we have never been blessed with that, Emiliano Sala would have been that and that was a big blow."

Capital punishment for Warnock - the stats

    Cardiff manager Neil Warnock has never won an away Premier League match in London in 16 attempts (W0 D3 L13).
    Fulham have won three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since March 2012.
    This was Cardiff City's 13th away Premier League defeat of the season - only Huddersfield (14) and Fulham (15) have lost more.
    Fulham have taken nine points from their past three Premier League games - as many as in their previous 20 games combined (W2 D3 L15).
    Cardiff had eight shots on target in this match - with all seven coming in the 73rd minute or later.
    Fulham's Ryan Babel scored his 17th Premier League goal and his first from outside the box.

What's next?
Cardiff are back in the Welsh capital for a match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, 4 May in the day's 17:30 BST kick-off, while earlier in the day (15:00) Fulham travel to Wolves.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47994862

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Parker Reaction

Scott Parker was pleased to see his side's hard graft rewarded with another three points on Saturday afternoon.

The Whites matched Cardiff City's work rate and that, combined with some extra attacking flair, saw us claim a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.

"I think we put a lot of work in, in a short period of time," Parker said. "Ultimately the team have been first class.

"At times we probably overload them with information and try to set standards and a mentality about us which Fulham fans want to see, which is a fight and a desire, and certainly that's what I want to see.

"I feel certainly at this moment in time the team are representing everyone at the Club and they're doing themselves a good representation as well.

"Like I said, it comes from hard work and determination, being receptive to the information they are getting, and that hard work has been proven in the last three wins and three clean sheets. It's paying off."

There was concern in the first half when Denis Odoi had to be stretchered off, but his Caretaker Manager confirmed it's not as serious as first feared.

"Denis is ok," he said. "He obviously had a head injury. He was out cold for four to five seconds and that is obviously a concern.

"We have to complete a concussion protocol, he's now on the mend and he is all good. He stayed and watched the second half. I don't know fully yet, but I've been told he is okay.

"He obviously jumped up straight away and you sometimes become animated and quite aggressive and that's what happened to Denis, and he wasn't sure where he was at the time."

Parker also reserved praise for Sergio Rico, after the goalkeeper claimed his third clean sheet in as many outings.

"Sergio was first class," he admitted. "He's had it a little bit tough this year but certainly in the last five minutes when we were under pressure a little bit, they put [Sean] Morrison up top and put a lot of balls in the box, which I thought we dealt well with the whole game.

"In the end, he has stood up and really earnt us the full three points and the clean sheet, which was pleasing."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/april/27/scott-parker-cardiff-reaction

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Fulham's Denis Odoi suffers worrying head injury following collision with teammate

The Belgian had to leave the field in the first half at Craven Cottage, which saw nine minutes of injury-time added on following the incident


Odoi went off in the 28th minute (Image: Getty Images)

Fulham defender Denis Odoi had to be taken off on a stretcher during the first half of his side's game with Cardiff at Craven Cottage following an accidental collision with teammate Maxime Le Marchard.

The Belgian defender was given an oxygen mask and had his neck put in a brace following the coming together with Le Marchard as both players went for the ball.

Odoi lay prone on the pitch for several minutes following the kick, although medical staff were able to get him to his feet before putting him on the strecher.

The 30-year-old could be seen bleeding from his nose as both sets of players gathered around him.


Le Marchard caught Odoi with a kick (Image: Getty Images)

Odoi was replaced by right-back Cyrus Christie, with referee Chris Kavanagh adding nine minutes on the end of the first half.

After the incident Fulham tweeted: "We're forced into a change here, as Denis is stetchered off the pitch. We're thinking of you, Denis."


The defender lay prone on the ground (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Former Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle, who was working as a pundit on the match for BBC Sport, said: "It looked serious because the Cardiff player immediately raised his hand to get attention.

"There are enough people there looking after him so hopefully he will be ok.


Odoi was attended to by medical staff (Image: Getty Images)


He left the pitch on a stretcher (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

"Fulham had started well, so that will be a blow if Odoi has to come off."

The game was goalless at half-time, with Cardiff seeking a victory over their already-relegated hosts to aid their battle against the drop.




https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulhams-denis-odoi-suffers-worrying-14791814

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Fulham 1-0 Cardiff: Ryan Babel's superb long-range effort seals three points for relegated Cottagers as Neil Warnock's survival hopes take another dent

    Cardiff's hopes of Premier League survival have taken another dent after they were beaten by Fulham
    Fulham defender Denis Odoi was temporarily knocked out after suffering a nasty head injury in the first half
    Ryan Babel then broke the deadlock with 11 minutes left with a superb long-range effort at Craven Cottage
    Cardiff hit the crossbar in the dying moments as the continued to search for an equaliser on Saturday
    The Bluebirds remain in the relegation zone and are three points adrift of Brighton who have 34 points

If relegation does come Cardiff's way they will join fellow Championship-bound side Fulham in wondering what might have been when they look back on this season.

For Fulham, this was their third win and clean sheet on the bounce since their demotion was confirmed, a morale-boosting run that has come all too late to save them.

It was sealed with a rare moment of Premier League quality from Ryan Babel that left Cardiff boss Neil Warnock thinking poignantly back to the tragic January plane crash that claimed the life of Emiliano Sala days after he had signed for the Welsh side.


Ryan Babel celebrates scoring the winning goal as Fulham overcome Cardiff at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon


The Dutch forward broke the deadlock in the 79th minute as Fulham went on to win three points for the already-relegated side


Cardiff City's Neil Etheridge can only watch the ball fly over his head and into the back of the net as Fulham win late on


The Fulham players swarm Babel after the 32-year-old scored the late winner at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon



Dutch winger Babel's late winner, that edged Cardiff closer to the drop, was totally out of keeping with what had gone before.

A brilliantly-taken first-time shot from 25 yards whipped into the top corner earned managerial apprentice Scott Parker, taking charge of just his eighth game, another notable scalp, this time managerial master Warnock who was overseeing his 1455th.

The Cardiff manager said: 'It is probably only Babel on the pitch who could have scored it. 'Maybe Victor Camarasa on a good day. It was a great finish. That's the Premier League for you.

'You get what you pay for. It just brings it home to me how disappointing [it was] with the Emiliano tragedy. I felt he could score 10 goals between Christmas and the end of the season. So it is blow after blow really the things we have had to put up with since Christmas.'

The Sala tragedy puts everything else in perspective, but in football terms Babel's 79th minute strike was just another body blow for Cardiff and Warnock.

His face like thunder seconds after the Dutchman's effort told its own story, and his mood would not have been helped by the 'you're going down with the Fulham' chants from the home fans.


Fulham defender Maxime Le Marchand accidentally kicks Denis Odoi in the chest then head during the first half


Fulham centre back Odoi was knocked unconscious following a nasty-looking head injury on Saturday afternoon


After regaining consciousness, the Belgian centre back tried getting back to his feet but appeared dazed and confused


The defender received oxygen as several physios surround the player during the first half at Craven Cottage

'If we go down we are back here at the Cottage next season,' Warnock said. 'Probably first game of next season. I can't get away from it. Those people who love me here.'

Fulham's regret is that their rally has come too late. Caretaker boss Scott Parker, handed the reins in February, was already thinking 'what if' after the successive wins over Everton and Bournemouth. A third would only have added to that.

Babel's goal could prove to be a brilliant parting gift as he has already hinted he could leave when his short-term deal runs out at the end of the season following relegation.

Parker said: 'It was a moment of brilliance and sheer class from Ryan. With some of the chances we missed I thought maybe today was not going to be our day but Ryan has come up with a wonder-strike which deserved to be the match-winner.'

Babel's goal certainly didn't have much competition when it came to moments of quality at Craven Cottage, which perhaps suggested why there is a very real chance this will be a second tier rivalry next season.


Both Fulham and Cardiff players watch on anxiously as Odoi is placed on to a stretcher after receiving treatment


Medical staff carry Odoi off the pitch while both sets of fans stand to applaud the defender on the half-hour mark


Fourth official Michael Oliver shows nine minutes of added time following the treatment Odoi received for his injury

The biggest talking point in the first half was a sickening incident involving Fulham defender Denis Odoi. Maxime Le Marchand accidentally caught Odoi in the face as he attempted to clear the ball while the latter was in the process of stooping to head it back to his goalkeeper Sergio Rico.

After a brief though still hugely concerning period while Odoi was out cold on the ground the right-back came round but needed almost 10 minutes of treatment before he was carried off on a stretcher in a neck brace and with an oxygen mask. Parker said: 'He is on the mend and all good. He stayed and watched the second half.'

Top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic blew a great chance to fire Fulham ahead early in the second half, blazing well over from Tom Cairney's cross.

Cairney, back in the side after becoming a father for the first time last weekend, then almost deceived former Fulham keeper Neil Etheridge with a cross that got caught in the Storm Hannah winds that whipped into Craven Cottage off the Thames.


Fulham goalkeeper Rico is forced to pull off a fine save to deny Cardiff an equaliser late on in the game on Saturday


Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Bryan go shoulder to shoulder as they battle for possession during the first half

Fulham's Tim Ream denied the poised Leandro Bacuna a tap-in with crucial touch that redirected Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's cross.

Warnock chucked on strikers Danny Ward and Rhys Healey and finally saw his side have their first shot on target from Mendez-Laing, in the 73rd minute, albeit one that was straight at Sergio Rico.

However the visitors were stunned by Babel's bolt from the blue after Cyrus Christie's run deep into Cardiff territory and the Welsh side's rally was repelled by the excellent Sergio Rico in the Fulham goal.

He tipped over Ward's header and frustrated Joe Bennett and Sean Morrison too while a third striker sub Bobby Decordova-Reid also hit the bar in a frantic finish.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6966783/Fulham-1-0-Cardiff-Ryan-Babel-scores-long-range-effort-dent-Bluebirds-survival-hopes.html

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Cardiff City defeat to Fulham means Burnley secure Premier League safety

Clarets take on Man City on Sunday

Cardiff City's defeat to Fulham means Burnley will be playing Premier League football next season.

The Clarets, who welcome title challengers Man City to Turf Moor tomorrow, went into the weekend with a nine point advantage over the Bluebirds.

That meant Neil Warnock's side had to win at Fulham to have any chance of overhauling Burnley but they couldn't return from Craven Cottage with the three points.

Ryan Babel struck the only goal of the game for the already relegated Cottagers with 11 minutes to play.

Survival caps a remarkable second half of the season for Sean Dyche's side who had only 12 points from their first 19 games.

Since then they have pieced together their longest Premier League unbeaten run (eight matches) and go into the game against Pep Guardiola's side unbeaten in four.

A win over City would mean Burnley would have beaten the defending champions in each of their Premier League seasons having previously beaten Manchester United, Man City, Leicester City and Chelsea.



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-defeat-fulham-means-16190769

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Fulham vs Cardiff: Ryan Babel wins it late to damage Welsh club's slimming survival hopes

A stunning first-time strike from the Dutchman could be fatal for Cardiff's hopes of remaining in the Premier League

It was a game billed as the beginning of Cardiff's great escape, but only served to confirm their steady abseil to relegation as Ryan Babel's fizzing solo-effort produced the single and decisive flash of brilliance to seal an improbable third successive victory for Fulham.

Despite the contrasting implications of this match, with Cardiff so desperately requiring a win, it was Fulham who triumphed not only on skill, but desire, despite playing for little more than the promise of schadenfreude's infliction.

And although perhaps cruel, the greatest evidence of a starkly average game was to remind why these two sides sit 18th and 19th in the Premier League. Aleksandar Mitrovic lacked the composure to capitalise on Babel and Tom Cairney's attacking promise. Cardiff's most likely attacks came through the wrought angst of Fulham's own defending. In the end, a lone glimpse of elite skill was all it took to separate two sides destined for the second-tier.

It was supposed to be Cardiff's rise to a grandstand finish, against a Fulham side playing for little more than pride, but began at half-speed and with a limp. A gusty afternoon at Craven Cottage had hindered the Welsh side's initial long-ball approach and it was Fulham, buoyed by back-to-back victories, who took an almost reluctant upper-hand in an opening quarter more notable for its mistakes and missed opportunities.

Sean Morrison's calls for a penalty were turned down after Mitrovic appeared to wrestle him by the collar, before Babel's cute chop inside opened up the space for the Serbian striker's first glimpse at goal at the other end, drilling a shot towards the bottom corner that forced Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge into action.


It was a scrappy affair at a windswept Craven Cottage (Getty)

But, eventually, Cardiff began to channel the spite that Neil Warnock was furiously parading up and down the touchline. Victor Camarasa provided the creative spark, drifting into the half-spaces left by the creaking duo of Tim Ream and Maxime Le Marchand, and looking to feed Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Junior Hoilett running beyond.

But just as the game threatened to come alive after 20 minutes, Le Marchand's attempted clearance caught Denis Odoi square in the chest, with the right-back collapsing headfirst into the ground on the edge of the box, provoking immediate concern from both sides. The 30-year-old was unresponsive, aided by both sets of medical staff and received oxygen before eventually being stretchered off the field after almost ten minutes.

The lull though seemed to spark new will in both sides. A subdued and empty-spaced Craven Cottage finally enlivened for a frenetic 15 minutes that would force openings at both ends. Cardiff targeted substitute Cyrus Christie as both Mendez-Laing and Oumar Niasse basked in the empty space left by the replacement right-back.

Babel again jinked his way inside, red traffic-light dome first, to stop Cardiff's defenders from closing him down and forcing Morrison into a diving block to divert his shot. Moments later, the Dutch winger finally broke free of the last defender, only to see his smart cutback miscued over the bar by Ryan Sessegnon.

They had at least opened up, finally raising the tempo in a half played out largely in staccato fare, but the streak of class to separate the two sides remained lost.


Fulham battled past Cardiff to sink the Welsh side (Getty)

Warnock attempted to rile the blood of his players at half-time, but instead it was Fulham who carried that same attacking vein into the second-half, stung and with a point to prove. If it weren't for the sheer wastefulness of Mitrovic, who after some fine interplay between Babel and Cairney, was so alarmed at having clean sight of goal that he thrashed his shot well over the crossbar from 16 yards, they would have taken the lead after just minutes. Joe Bryan stuttered, then stumbled, when put clean through by Cairney's brilliant chipped ball.

But, finally, Babel's curling shot from 25 yards found the smallest pocket of the top corner, vindicating Fulham's overwhelming spell of second-half dominance, and left a helpless Etheridge sprawled on the floor with Cardiff's race all but run.

The reality checks were registered here long ago. But at least, even if hope seems to have long left the Cottage, Fulham are now showing flickers of promise under Scott Parker. They are on their way down, but the trajectory is up.

For Cardiff, only visits to Crystal Palace and Manchester United remain. Their relegation could be confirmed before today's end and for all Warnock's sheer resilience, the will of their 70-year-old manager was never quite enough to keep them afloat.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham-vs-cardiff-ryan-babel-goal-a8889376.html

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Spectacular strike from Ryan Babel pushes Cardiff closer to relegation as Fulham claim the spoils


Fulham celebrate as Cardiff head towards relegation Credit: reuters

As Ryan Babel unleashed his 25-yard screamer to settle this otherwise dire basement scrap, Neil Warnock's thoughts turned again to Emiliano Sala.

Cardiff City have shown so much fortitude during a tragedy that has overshadowed this solitary top-flight season, and the spectacular Fulham goal that may have dragged Cardiff back down to the Championship brought it all home for the world-weary manager.

As he looked around at the players in blue, he struggled to pick out a player capable of such moments of inspiration.

"You saw with the goal that you get what you pay for," said the 70 year-old. "It just brings it home to part of the disappointment with the Emiliano tragedy. I felt he could have scored 10 goals between Christmas and the end of the season. This is what we've been lacking. It's been blow after blow, the things we've been put up with since Christmas."

Warnock had been telling punters to keep their money away from backing Cardiff all season, but he would have bet his house on his side showing more attacking intent than they did here. Lone frontman Oumar Niasse was particularly poor.

Afterwards, Warnock suggested he got his selection wrong. "It disappointed me that we didn't get on the front foot earlier," he said. "It took the goal to wake us up really."

Indeed, it was only after Babel's winner 10 minutes from time that they started attacking like their Premier League status depended on it. The former Liverpool man's effort was sublime and capped another encouraging display to boost Scott Parker's candidacy of getting the Fulham manager's job on a permanent basis as they start afresh in the Championship next season. "It was a moment of sheer class and brilliance," said the delighted caretaker afterwards.

As well as joy over a rare victory at Craven Cottage, there was also relief that a horrible-looking injury to Denis Odoi was not as bad as first thought. Frantic exchanges quickly became subdued on 20 minutes when Odoi was left poleaxed by a nasty-looking clash with teammate Maxime Le Marchand, who appeared to catch the Belgian defender with his knee.

Odoi collapsed head-first into the ground and was eventually stretchered off wearing an oxygen mask by Fulham's concerned-looking medical team, but Parker said later that he was back on his feet. "Denis is okay," Parker said. "He was out cold for four or five seconds but he's well. With concussion protocol, I don't know if he'll be back this season."

For Cardiff fans, it will be a long trip back home on the M4. They were in full voice but this was an out-of-sorts performance from a side with just two games to spare.  The injury scare had caused a nine-minute delay and both sides took an age to get back into their strides. Warnock was left gesticulating wildly after a particularly ponderous break by Niasse. Having sprinted beyond Le Marchand, the striker, on-loan Everton, took an age to square the ball, allowing Fulham to clear their lines.

This was a match desperately short on finishing prowess but after Aleksandar Mitrovic blazed over a slide-rule ball from Tom Cairney, Babel spared the Serbian's blushed by latching on to a mazy run and cut-back from Cyrus Christie to give Fulham supporters their all-too-rare moment of joy.

With 10 minutes left, the magnitude of the event hit home for Cardiff, who suddenly created a flurry of chances.

Cardiff came as close as they had all afternoon to hitting back with a header from Danny Ward. Sergio Rico showed magnificent reactions to tip over and then saved excellently twice more, once from Ward from distance, and then from Bobby Reid. Hoilett then clattered the crossbar and, in a late goalmouth scramble, Reid poked his effort wide. Cardiff had woken up but it was too little, too late.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/04/27/spectacular-strike-ryan-babel-pushes-cardiff-closer-relegation/

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Result: Fulham make it three in a row to dent Cardiff City survival hopes

A spectacular strike from Ryan Babel pushed Cardiff closer to relegation from the Premier League and gave Fulham a third successive win.

Babel scored his third goal in four matches with a scorching curler from 25 yards to secure a 1-0 victory and leave City's plight looking increasingly bleak.

Fulham's run of decent form under caretaker boss Scott Parker has come too late to save them, and Babel's thunderbolt may well have helped drag Cardiff back down with them.

The match was overshadowed by what appeared a horrific injury to Denis Odoi, who stooped to head the ball clear and took a boot in the face from his Fulham team-mate Maxime Le Marchand.

The defender appeared to have been out cold as he crumpled to the floor, and although he initially got back to his feet he then required treatment for eight minutes before eventually being taken off on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask.

Thankfully Odoi was later said to be fine and did not need to be taken to hospital.

Predictably Cardiff were not lacking in effort or spirit, but they carried little goal threat until Junior Hoilett struck the cross bar late on.

Hoilett threatened occasionally down the right but his shot, into the side-netting, was the closest the visitors came to disturbing Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico in the first half.

During nine minutes of added time at the end of the half, Babel got free down the left and pulled the ball back but Ryan Sessegnon's weak volley bounced wide.

Moments into the second half Aleksandar Mitrovic should have given Fulham the lead.

Tom Cairney raided down the right and squared across goal but Mitrovic, who ended a nine-match run without a goal in the win at Bournemouth last weekend, blazed over.

The Serbian then turned Sean Morrison on the edge of the area but once again lifted his shot over the crossbar.

Cardiff's chances were few and far between with Victor Camarasa, their liveliest player, off target with an ambitious effort from 30 yards and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing firing straight at Rico.

And with 11 minutes remaining Babel collected the ball from Cyrus Christie and hit a fierce first-time shot which curled away from Etheridge as it flew into the top corner.

There was late agony for Cardiff when Rico tipped Danny Ward's header over before Hoilett's curler rattled the crossbar.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/cardiff-city/relegation-battle/result/result-fulham-make-it-three-in-a-row-to-dent-cardiff-survival-hopes_357497.html

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Babel impresses again in Fulham victory

Ryan Babel scored a lovely goal to seal a 1-0 victory for Fulham over Cardiff City on Saturday.

The Dutch winger has made it clear that he will not sign a new deal with the already relegated Fulham as he aims to remain in contention for Netherlands selection.

Babel will be a free agent in the summer and is now looking to impress any potential suitors. On Saturday, Babel was once again the key man for Fulham as he netted a great strike from 25 yards to seal a 1-0 win over Cardiff City.

The 32-year-old has now scored six goals in the Premier League since joining Fulham from Besiktas in January.



http://www.football-oranje.com/babel-impresses-again-in-fulham-victory/

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Confused and Confusing Ryan Sessegnon No-Show a Reminder of Why He Needs to Escape Fulham Hell

Y'know when you're a kid – big enough to be walking around but not really big enough to know what's happening, ever – and you get lost in Tesco? The big Tesco, not a little Express or something?

There's that crystallised thought: I don't know where I am, and I don't know how I got here, but I wish I wasn't and I don't know what to do about it. I am, to quote a popular American stand-up, very small and I have no money, so you can imagine the kind of stress that I am under.

Y'know when you're a kid – big enough to be walking around but not really big enough to know what's happening, ever – and you get lost in Tesco? The big Tesco, not a little Express or something?


There's that crystallised thought: I don't know where I am, and I don't know how I got here, but I wish I wasn't and I don't know what to do about it. I am, to quote a popular American stand-up, very small and I have no money, so you can imagine the kind of stress that I am under.

Anyway, Ryan Sessegnon played on the right wing for ​​Fulham against ​Cardiff on Saturday, having already started league games at left-back, wing-back, left-midfield, left-wing and up front for the Cottagers this season.

This was his 24th start of the campaign, under a third manager, in a new league. And he's 18. And six of the players who started with him on Saturday weren't in the squad last season.

You can see where this is going, right?

Ryan Sessegnon is very small, and he's lost in the supermarket that Fulham's ownership went full Supermarket Sweep in last summer.

As part of a front three featuring ​Aleksandar Mitrovic (huge) and Ryan Babel (way bigger than you'd expect, seriously), Sessegnon looked like everything was too big for him. The opponents, the occasion – basically everything but his shirt. He looked completely out of place.

But...of course he looks out of place. He doesn't have a place in this Fulham team. The way he's been treated this season would've crippled the campaign of a seasoned veteran, never mind a teenager playing his first year of top flight football.

He's been in the team, and out of the team. He's played for the manager who trusted him to play a leading role in a promotion battle, and he's played for Premier League-winning Claudio Ranieri – who didn't trust him at all. Now he's playing for Scott Parker.

When Sessegnon stayed put over the summer and didn't look to force a move to a club like Tottenham or United, it was the smart play. The sensible option. Stay, get the playing time in a system that you know, for a club who know you. Then Fulham spent the last year blowing all of that goodwill, and stunted the growth of the one transcendent talent they have.

His contract ends next summer, although there is some talk of the club having an extension option built in. This time, there's no reason for him to hesitate. They've messed him around for nine months and, however much the fans love him, he can't risk that happening again.

Get out while you can.



https://www.90min.com/posts/6355278-confused-and-confusing-ryan-sessegnon-no-show-a-reminder-of-why-he-needs-to-escape-fulham-hell?utm_source=RSS

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Fulham vs Cardiff: Scott Parker assures Denis Odoi 'is on the mend' after being knocked unconscious

The midfielder was stretchered off after receiving oxygen in the first half of the Cottagers' victory

Scott Parker assured that Denis Odoi was healthy and had not been rushed to hospital after the right-back was knocked unconscious during the first half of Fulham's 1-0 win against Cardiff.

Odoi was kicked square in the chest by teammate Maxime Le Marchand's attempted clearance, with the 30-year-old falling headfirst into the ground and losing consciousness immediately, prompting concern from both sets of players.

Odoi was treated for almost ten minutes by both sets of medical staff and received oxygen on the pitch before being stretchered off.

"It was a concern," Parker said. "He's well, with the concussion protocol his season is done, but he's on the mend, he's all good. He stayed and watched the second half and I've been told he's okay.

The victory completed a hat-trick, not only of victories but clean sheets for Fulham. A feat which would have seemed miraculous at Christmas, and evidenced the positive impact Parker has had after just eight games in charge of the squad.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham-vs-cardiff-result-score-goals-scott-parker-denis-odoi-injury-epl-table-a8889511.html

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From Portugal: Fulham have until end of May to communicate on transfer option

Luciano Vietto's transfer to Sporting continues to be taken as pretty much done by the Portuguese media. In the past few days, several outlets reported the agreement between the Lions, Atletico Madrid and the player himself.

And what about Fulham? Well, newspaper Record finally writes something about the Whites today, recalling that the Cottagers still have a say in it all.

The outlet writes that the Premier League side still have a buying option over Vietto, and have until the end of May to tell Atletico Madrid about it.

They're not expected to use it. Record says it's not the wish of the club or player to get a permanent deal, and since Fulham are relegated to the Championship, they must cut expenses.

Meanwhile, Vietto is expected to sign a five-year deal with Sporting.

The Portuguese side aren't paying for the signing, and are actually getting an extra amount in cash, since the deal will involve the transfer of Gelson Martins to Atletico Madrid, which happened last summer and is only being paid for now.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/portugal-fulham-end-may-communicate-transfer-option/

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Cauley Woodrow speaks out following Barnsley's crucial win as promotion edges closer

Barnsley took a huge step towards achieving promotion to the Championship this season with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Blackpool.

The Tykes fell behind though with Harry Pritchard opening the scoring, before Cauley Woodrow equalised shortly before half-time.

Liam Lindsay then netted the winner on the day to spark jubilant scenes amongst Barnsley supporters at Oakwell.

The result means they are now four points clear of Portsmouth in the League One table, with Pompey having a game in hand on Daniel Stendel's side.

Woodrow took to Instagram following the crucial win and was delighted to get on the scoresheet at such an important time of the season.

Woodrow's goals have been vital to their promotion bid, with the former Fulham striker scoring 16 league goals this season for the Tykes.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/cauley-woodrow-speaks-out-following-barnsleys-crucial-win-as-promotion-edges-closer/

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Scott Parker coy on taking Fulham role permanently after third straight win
Fulham claim battling 1-0 victory over Cardiff at Craven Cottage

Scott Parker refused to rule out becoming Fulham manager full-time after a third straight win under his stewardship.

Parker has been in temporary charge of the Cottagers since stepping up from his role as first-team coach when Claudio Ranieri was sacked in February, and they have picked up a third of their 27-point tally from the eight matches since he took the top job.

When asked if their latest win - a 1-0 triumph over Cardiff at Craven Cottage - had strengthened his position, he said: "From the outset, all I can do is what's in my control, and that's setting up the team to try to win games and be organised.

"We're doing that and the players have been different class to me and how we're trying to do things - and we're enjoying things at the moment."

It took a superb goal from Ryan Babel 11 minutes from time to settle a scrappy game, although Aleksandar Mitrovic also missed two fine chances earlier in the second half.

Parker said: "We said before the game we'd have to build and we needed to make sure it didn't go into a lull, and we were playing against a really disciplined side. In the end it was a wonder-strike to win us the game.

"It was a tough afternoon, but really pleasing. Another clean sheet was good too against a competitive team. We knew what we were expecting, they're fighting for their lives, and we had to stand up and be counted at times."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11705539/scott-parker-coy-on-taking-fulham-role-permanently-after-third-straight-win

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Cottage Talk Full Time: Fulham vs. Cardiff City
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode of Cottage Talk Full Time, Emilio Di Nello and Craig Coben shared their initial reactions to Fulham beating Cardiff City 1-0 at Craven Cottage. They talked about the winning goal from Ryan Babel, and then how Fulham held on to get the victory. The guys also talked about the worrying head injury to Denis Odoi.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2019/4/27/18520253/cottage-talk-full-time-fulham-vs-cardiff-city

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Fulham 1, Cardiff City 0
What on Earth Was That?

Sports are stupid. If they're not, every outcome can be predicted before a game could ever get played. So while Fulham have been looking more the in-form team then Cardiff City, the way we all got to this outcome was quite a shocker.

First, the conditions in London were downright awful as it was nowhere near the rays of sunshine that was spilled upon Bournemouth last week. Instead, we got overcast and windy and it truly affected how both teams played.

Even worse, the weather might have also affected the health of one of Fulham's leaders. About 20 minutes into the first half, the ball was going everywhere if it was put up high in the sky and this one in particular was a challenge for both Denis Odoi and Maxime Le Marchand to read. The result was the latter unintentionally kicking Odoi flush in the face when the Belgian was trying to head the ball back to Sergio Rico. What happened afterwards was Odoi falling unconscious and both medical staffs needing to tend to the Fulham fullback. Over nine minutes were needed to tend to him and a stretcher was needed to carry him off the pitch. It was truly a scary sight and no one should wish that upon their worst if enemies.

Once all the dust was settled, some of game of football tried to take place. However, passes went wayward, attempts at goal went into the clouds instead. Oh, and Oumar Niasse tried to lead a line. Both teams combined for just five shots and it really showed with the poor quality of play.

As the game progressed into the latter stages of the second half, however, Fulham looked like the more comfortable side. Aleksander Mitrovic has plenty of chances to score, but his shots just couldn't hit the target all game. Ryan Sessegnon, like he has been doing all season, had a poor performance, but showed plenty of fight and endeavor to give Fulham advantages all contest. Tom Cairney returned and was as industrious as ever beating the opposing midfield and looking for that final ball.

But it was Ryan Babel who will get all the accolades today. All his work around the ball seemed to produce the best results and his wonder-strike in the 79th minute. It all came from a wonderful run by Cyrus Christie who went from his left back spot into the center of midfield and then towards the left-hand corner of the penalty area. That route gave the space for Babel to run onto and the ageless Dutchman blasted it hard and curled one past Neil Etheridge and looked to have put the exclamation point on a three points well deserved.

Babel's goal finally gave Cardiff the motivation to score themselves. After all, they're the ones whose Premier League safety is still undecided. Any points could help them in the long run. It's just amazing that it took time until the last 10 minutes for them to finally get going. Danny Ward went on to get three shots off in his 20 minutes as Niasse's substitute. The other attacking substitute, Rhys Heeley, generated a 0.31 xG chain in just eight minutes. Niasse only generated 0.02 xG chain in 70 minutes.

And man, Sean Morrison seriously should have scored at least twice in that final barrage. This is where Sergio Rico did all that he could to make up for all the criticisms that he's received all season in this one game. His saves and positioning in the last ten minutes were simply brilliant and his performance will be why Cardiff could be ""going down with the Fulham" in the Championship next season.

When the final whistle blew, there was a combination of relief and joy all around Craven Cottage. If only this football club could have found this run of form much sooner. But for now, we can enjoy what Scott Parker has done to bring some pride back into the badge and dream of finishing this season a note much higher than we all expected.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2019/4/28/18520289/fulham-1-cardiff-city-0