Whites lose two-goal lead at Sunderland

By

Sunderland 2 Fulham 2

Fulham had to settle for a point despite making a brilliant start at the Stadium of Light.

Sascha Riether’s first goal for the club put them 2-0 up after Dimitar Berbatov had tucked away an early penalty.

But Craig Gardner netted for Sunderland with a penalty eight minutes before the break and they equalised courtesy of Stephane Sessegnon with 20 minutes remaining.

Gardner conceded the spot-kick that led to the opener – although referee Mark Halsey initially appeared to wave away Fulham’s appeals after Ashkan Dejagah went down under the midfielder’s challenge.

Berbatov coolly converted and when Riether pounced to score after Dejagah’s low shot was spilled by keeper Simon Miglonet, Fulham looked in complete control.

But Gardner slammed home from the spot following Philippe Senderos’ foul on Danny Graham and Sessegnon levelled with a left-footed effort after Fulham failed to deal with Adam Johnson’s cross.

And worse could have followed for Fulham had Halsey not given Emmanuel Frimpong the benefit of the doubt after the substitute raised his hands to blocked a shot from Johnson.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Duff (Emanuelson 83), Sidwell, Karagounis (Frimpong 64), Dejagah (Rodallega 85), Ruiz, Berbatov.
Subs: Etheridge, Petric, Richardson, Hughes.

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

 

Follow West London Sport on Twitter
Find us on Facebook