Thursday, August 18, 2011

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18.08. (Thu) 20:30 Fulham - Dnipro

PROBABLE LINEUPS

FULHAM

Schwarzer
Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, J.A. Riise
Dempsey, Etuhu, Murphy, Duff
Zamora, Johnson

DNIPRO

Lastuvka
Inkoom, Mandzyuk, Cheberyachko, Strinic
Giuliano, Rotan, Konoplyanka, Boateng
Matheus, Kalinic

Fulham boss Martin Jol is expected to name a similar line-up to the one that started in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa at the weekend. The most likely of the starters to miss out from Saturday is centre-back Philippe Senderos, who has had an injury-hit spell at Craven Cottage and may not be risked ahead of Sunday's clash with Wolves.

Meanwhile, Dnipro, who go into the game off the back of a 3-1 loss to rivals Shakhtar Donetsk, look set to welcome defender Samuel Inkoom back to the starting line-up, while former Blackburn Rovers striker Nikola Kalinic could also start.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fulham have qualified for Europe three times, including this current campaign. Their first appearance was in the now defunct Intertoto Cup, but their most successful attempt in Europe came during the 2009-10 season, when they lost to Atletico Madrid in the final of the Europa League.

The Cottagers have never been beaten on home turf in European competition, winning 15 and drawing four of their matches at Craven Cottage.

Including qualifying games, Martin Jol’s side have lost just five games out of 39 on the continent.

Dnipro’s best season in Europe’s second tier competition came in the 2004-05 campaign when they reached the last 16 of the then Uefa Cup, but the Ukrainian outfit have failed to pass the play-off stages in their last three attempts.

However, they were quarter-finalists on two occasions in the European Cup in 1985 and 1990, losing to Marseille on penalties and Benfica.

Dnipro’s name has changed since the team was initially founded, originally starting out as BRIT, relating to the Petrovsky factory that formed the club. At one point the side was sponsored by one of the most powerful factories in the Soviet Union and funded by the state’s Ministry of Defence, until the Ukraine finally became a separate entity and they became Dnipro.

Prediction 
Editor's Prediction 
Fulham 1-0 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk