On This Day: Fulham Destroyed Juventus 4-1 To Knock Them Out Of The Europa League
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Arguably the greatest goal in the history of one of these clubs was scored in this game - and you won't be surprised to know we don't mean the 35-time Serie A champions.
Juventus rocking up at Craven Cottage in the Europa League knockout stages is unusual at the best of times.
But Fulham somehow overturning a 3-1 first-leg defeat is truly amazing - especially when you consider David Trezeguet put the Old Lady 4-1 up on aggregate inside two minutes.
The 2010 Juventus side contained Italian World Cup winners Fabio Cannavaro, Fabio Grosso and Mauro Camoranesi. Yet they somehow shipped four goals on this night.
Bobby Zamora scored to start the comeback and Cannavaro was so stunned by this unlikely event he got himself sent off for a professional foul. His victim Zoltan Gera then netted twice to level the tie at 4-4 - before IT happened.
American Clint 'Deuce' Dempsey, sometime rapper and all-time Fulham legend produced an audacious, exquisite chip from outside the box to give his side the overall lead.
Ten years ago today:
Fulham 4-1 Juventus
That chip from Clint Dempsey has gone down in Fulham folklore :black_circle::white_circle:
Where has the time gone?!pic.twitter.com/azbcqiKQLI
- Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 18, 2020
With mere minutes to play, Juve suddenly realised they had a spare Alex Del Piero on the bench and brought him on.
But their heads had gone: Jonathan Zebina was sent off for kicking out at Damien Duff and Juventus sloped out of the Europa League with nine men.
Cue a Craven Cottage eruption - we're picturing lattes flying everywhere - and a place in the quarter-final for Roy Hodgson's boys.
"We should just do a Rocky Marciano and retire now,' said Hodgson, with a pleasingly dated reference to the undefeated heavyweight kingpin.
"It's not going to get better than this. It must be the greatest night in the club's history. I'm on top of the world."
The Hodgefather wasn't done world-conquering, however. He led Fulham all the way to the Europa League final and an agonising, extra time defeat to Atletico Madrid thanks to Diego Forlan's brace.
Still, the Cottagers had had their greatest ever victory - a memorable turnaround against one of Europe's elite, featuring a winning goal as stylish as it was important.
Juventus have won just the eight Serie A titles since, and have knocked the likes of Barcelona and Atletico out of Europe themselves.
But their European record against Fulham still reads: one tie; one knockout defeat.
Topics: Europa League, Juventus, Roy Hodgson, Fulham
