A Bobby Zamora header was enough to seal all three points for Fulham at home to Sunderland.
Striker terrorises Sunderland back-line as Cottagers triumph
A first-half header from Bobby Zamora was enough to seal all three points for Fulham at home to Sunderland.
The striker was a handful for the Black Cats defence all game and got his name on the scoresheet when he got in front of Michael Turner to head past Marton Fulop after John Pantsil's had crossed from the right with just five minutes on the clock.
Zamora could have made it two when he got the better of Turner in the air once more to meet Paul Konchesky's cross from the left only to see his header come back off the bar.
Sunderland, who were dismal in the first half, came out fighting in the second period and should have equalised when Kenwyne Jones latched onto a poor Konchesky backpass but his effort was saved by Mark Schwarzer.
The visitors continued to press for the equaliser and had Fulham on the back foot for much of the half but not even top scorer Darren Bent could muster a goal.
Steed Malbranque, still jeered by home fans after leaving the club in 2006, had the game's first chance when he was found by Lorik Cana after the midfielder robbed Paul Konchesky and slipped the ball through - but Schwarzer was equal to the finish.
Volatile
Then came Zamora's moment. Damien Duff laid the ball back to Pantsil on the right flank and when the ball came over Zamora zipped in front of Phil Bardsley to head home.
It was Zamora's sixth of the season and sparked a volatile celebration. He told his critics to "shut up" and lifted his finger up to his lips after pushing team-mate Duff in the chest.
Sunderland's poor start also included a booking for Kieran Richardson, triggering a suspension as it was his fifth of a season where he has already been banned following a red card.
Erik Nevland also picked up a yellow card for sliding into the back of Anton Ferdinand's calves when the Sunderland defender was shielding the ball out of play.
It led to Ferdinand being replaced by Nyron Nosworthy, with the substitute fouling Zamora with his first act and Clint Dempsey sending the free-kick just over the crossbar.
USA international Dempsey, who England will be facing at the World Cup, also went wide when Zamora had beaten Turner to flick on inside the penalty area.
Zamora got close to a second goal when he glanced on Jonathan Greening's corner - but the effort went wide of the post - and he also headed against the bar from Konchesky's cross.
Blasted over
Nevland was guilty of one of the misses of the season before the break when Zamora found him in the six-yard area from Dempsey's lob into the danger zone.
Marton Fulop saved the first effort and Nevland blasted over the rebound with the goal at his mercy.
Fabio Capello's men will have to be wary of Dempsey's shoot-on-sight policy, with the attacking-midfielder firing wide just after the restart.
At the other end, Konchesky's under-hit back pass presented a chance for Kenwyne Jones to score but the Trinidad and Tobago forward had his finish saved by Schwarzer.
The visitors got even closer to an equaliser when Darren Bent met Richardson's cross with a first-time volley that flew just wide.
Former Tottenham striker Bent also flashed wildly over the crossbar after Fulham failed to deal with a straightforward cross from Andy Reid.
Bolo Zenden came on for Sunderland and Schwarzer had to save his long-range effort before the end.
| Fulham |
Team Statistics |
Sunderland |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 11 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 4 |
Corners |
8 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
14 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 63.4 |
Passing Success |
66.3 |
| 13 |
Tackles |
14 |
| 46.2 |
Tackles Success |
50 |
| 48.7 |
Possession |
51.3 |
| 48.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
51.4 |
|
