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Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Fulham vs Manchester United. Premier League.

Craven CottageAttendance25,643.

Fulham 2

  • S Davies (57th minute)
  • B Hangeland (89th minute)

Manchester United 2

  • P Scholes (11th minute)
  • B Hangeland (84th minute own goal)

Brave Cottagers hold United

Image: Hangeland celebrates his equaliser to Nani's dismay.

Brede Hangeland scored in both ends as Fulham twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Man Utd.

Fulham earn a point late on in frantic finale at Craven Cottage

Brede Hangeland scored in both ends late on as Fulham twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Craven Cottage. United piled the pressure on the hosts early on and didn't have long to wait for an opener as veteran Paul Scholes gave them the lead with a trademark strike on 11 minutes. It was the in-form midfielder's 150th goal for the club and followed his man-of-the-match display against Newcastle last Monday. The away side failed to build on their early breakthrough, though, and allowed the hosts back into the game, with Edwin Van der Sar called into action on numerous occasions for the remainder of the first half. Fulham continued to pressurise in the early stages of the second period and were rewarded for their efforts on 57 minutes as Simon Davies finished off a flowing move. United regained the lead, however, and it came via an own goal courtesy of Hangeland, who inadvertently deflected an attempted clearance into his own net six minutes from time. Substitute Nani then had a penalty saved by Fulham keeper David Stockdale after Damien Duff accidentally handled inside the area in a frantic end to an entertaining game. The save proved vital as Hangeland made amends for his error in the 89th minute when he rose highest from a Duff corner and powered home a header to square up the sides once more.

Deserved

It was a thrilling way for Mark Hughes to mark his first home match as Fulham manager while Sir Alex Ferguson will know his side deserved no more than a point. Ferguson would have been delighted by United's formidable start with a dashing early run from Antonio Valencia caught the eye only for Scholes, the intended recipient of his back heel, to stumble on the ball. Berbatov and Darren Fletcher combined to good effect without any end product as play began to concentrate on Fulham's area. Only lightening reflexes from Stockdale kept a header from Berbatov out but moments later the Cottagers keeper was beaten by a magnificent strike from Scholes. The ball was sprayed around with ease from a corner until Berbatov teed up Scholes who found the bottom right corner with a powerful low drive from 25 yards out. Davies flashed an effort over the bar at the other end but United were still looking formidable as Berbatov tested Stockdale from a tight angle. Bobby Zamora was gifted a free header from 10 yards out, but he could only nod a cross by Paul Konchesky wide with the target at his mercy. Berbatov directed a header over the crossbar but United's defence was in disarray in the 31st minute and only a superb double save from Van der Sar denied Fulham. Zamora used his strength to cause problems on the edge of the area and possession squirted out to Dempsey, who laid on a perfect pass for Dickson Etuhu. Etuhu directed his first shot straight at Van der Sar but was presented with a second attempt when the ball rebounded to his feet only for the Dutch keeper, who was sat down, to prod the effort over the bar with an outstretched hand. Despite the fluidity of United's play, with Berbatov, Javier Hernandez and Valencia prominent, Fulham looked very capable of pinching an equaliser. Scholes almost jinked his way into a shooting position but Fulham were enjoying the lion's share of possession early in the second half.
Power shift
Zamora blazed a free-kick over the crossbar after he had been hacked down by Jonny Evans and the balance of power was clearly shifting with the equaliser arriving in the 57th minute. A rampaging run from Duff swept the winger away from Patrice Era before he found Zamora, whose astute pass fell to an unmarked Davies. Stood 10 yards out and with time to pick his spot, the Wales midfielder thumped the ball past Van der Sar. Substitute Nani was making a telling impact and he expertly teed up Berbatov who was bundled off the ball as he was pulling the trigger. Van der Sar caught a dangerous curler from Danny Murphy while at the other end a Nani free kick crept narrowly over the crossbar before skipper Nemanja Vidic directed a header off-target. With 11 minutes to go Zamora blew a fine chance, and Fulham were left ruing the opportunity as they conceded a disastrous own goal. Nani's innocuous-looking corner fell straight to Hangeland, deflecting off his shin and into the goal. Fulham suffered another blow in the 86th minute when Duff handled the ball, but Stockdale pulled off a fine save to deny Nani from the spot. Yet Hangeland and Duff still had time to make amends for their errors in a breathless finish that saw Fulham get what they deserved. Duff floated in a corner from the right and Hangeland leapt high to head it home, via a touch from the hand of the diving Van der Sar.
Fulham Team Statistics Manchester United
2 Goals 2
0 1st Half Goals 1
8 Shots on Target 8
9 Shots off Target 8
3 Blocked Shots 6
5 Corners 11
10 Fouls 7
0 Offsides 2
2 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
80.3 Passing Success 84
14 Tackles 6
78.6 Tackles Success 66.7
42.4 Possession 57.6
45 Territorial Advantage 55

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