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Forlan ends Atletico's 14-year wait for a trophy
Source: Agencies |
May 13, 2010, Thursday
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ATLETICO Madrid's longest ever spell without a major trophy ended when Diego Forlan scored with just four minutes of extra time remaining to clinch a 2-1 win over Fulham in yesterday's Europa League final.
Atletico's first title in 14 years came when Forlan flicked Sergio Aguero's cross under his standing leg for his second goal of the game, the ball taking a slight deflection off Fulham defender Brede Hangeland and rolling past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Man-of-the-match Forlan, who also hit the post before putting Atletico ahead in the 32nd minute, was the only Atletico player not to celebrate at the final whistle as the club won its first trophy since the 1996 Spanish league and cup double.
The Uruguay international instead shook hands with the exhausted Fulham players, who had been trying to clinch the west London club's first major title.
"We deserved it," Forlan said "It was an enormous sacrifice to get here. Now is the moment to enjoy it."
Forlan's goals at Hamburg Arena earned Atletico only its third win from 15 European games this season but still gave his club the distinction of being the first to win the title in its latest guise.
The tournament was known as the UEFA Cup until it was revamped and renamed for this season at the behest of UEFA president Michel Platini.
Atletico's only other European trophy also came in Germany, when it beat Fiorentina at Stuttgart in 1962 to win the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup in Stuttgart.
Madrid's long-suffering fans, who have even seen their team drop to the second tier since 1996, now have temporary bragging rights over city rivals Real Madrid -- although the city's richer and more famous team could still overhaul Barcelona to win the Spanish league title.
"We now hope Madrid will dress in red and white," Forlan said. "We are bringing a title back to Spain and it is great for Spanish football."
Until recently, Atletico's worst run without a trophy was the 12 years it waited for its 1940 Spanish league title. The club now goes for a second trophy of the season with the Copa Del Rey final on May 19 against Sevilla.
"In time we'll appreciate what we've done," Forlan said. "And now we go for the second trophy."
Forlan scored his first goal yesterday by redirecting a mis-hit shot by Aguero, although Fulham equalized just five minutes later through Simon Davies' fierce right-foot volley.
Aguero was dangerous throughout for the nine-time Spanish champions, and the Argentina international almost scored twice himself before setting up Forlan for the winner.
Aguero beat two defenders in the 24th minute and slalomed past a third to hit a cross-shot that the defense cleared. He then bundled the ball into the side-netting just minutes before Forlan's dramatic winner.
"We had no time left to recover from that," Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said. "It's a bitter disappointment because I thought we deserved at least to go to penalties.
"It was an even game and a good one, I thought, but a goal changes everything."
Striker Bobby Zamora helped set up Fulham's equalizer but was forced from the field early in the second half with the Achilles' injury that kept him out of England's initial World Cup squad.
Fulham began to struggle up front without a focal point for its attack, but it almost withstood all Atletico's best efforts and forced Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores replaced tiring wingers Juan Antonio Reyes and Simao Sabrosa.
Zamora's 55th-minute exit gave Clint Dempsey the opportunity to become the first American player to appear in a European final, but the United States forward struggled to make an impact.
With Erik Nevland coming on up front in place of Damien Duff, who only played after a late recovery from a leg injury, Fulham then lacked a cutting edge despite some neat play in midfield from Dickson Etuhu and Davies.
Atletico's central defense of Mariano Pernia and Alvaro Dominguez was mostly untroubled for the last hour.
Atletico's first title in 14 years came when Forlan flicked Sergio Aguero's cross under his standing leg for his second goal of the game, the ball taking a slight deflection off Fulham defender Brede Hangeland and rolling past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Man-of-the-match Forlan, who also hit the post before putting Atletico ahead in the 32nd minute, was the only Atletico player not to celebrate at the final whistle as the club won its first trophy since the 1996 Spanish league and cup double.
The Uruguay international instead shook hands with the exhausted Fulham players, who had been trying to clinch the west London club's first major title.
"We deserved it," Forlan said "It was an enormous sacrifice to get here. Now is the moment to enjoy it."
Forlan's goals at Hamburg Arena earned Atletico only its third win from 15 European games this season but still gave his club the distinction of being the first to win the title in its latest guise.
The tournament was known as the UEFA Cup until it was revamped and renamed for this season at the behest of UEFA president Michel Platini.
Atletico's only other European trophy also came in Germany, when it beat Fiorentina at Stuttgart in 1962 to win the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup in Stuttgart.
Madrid's long-suffering fans, who have even seen their team drop to the second tier since 1996, now have temporary bragging rights over city rivals Real Madrid -- although the city's richer and more famous team could still overhaul Barcelona to win the Spanish league title.
"We now hope Madrid will dress in red and white," Forlan said. "We are bringing a title back to Spain and it is great for Spanish football."
Until recently, Atletico's worst run without a trophy was the 12 years it waited for its 1940 Spanish league title. The club now goes for a second trophy of the season with the Copa Del Rey final on May 19 against Sevilla.
"In time we'll appreciate what we've done," Forlan said. "And now we go for the second trophy."
Forlan scored his first goal yesterday by redirecting a mis-hit shot by Aguero, although Fulham equalized just five minutes later through Simon Davies' fierce right-foot volley.
Aguero was dangerous throughout for the nine-time Spanish champions, and the Argentina international almost scored twice himself before setting up Forlan for the winner.
Aguero beat two defenders in the 24th minute and slalomed past a third to hit a cross-shot that the defense cleared. He then bundled the ball into the side-netting just minutes before Forlan's dramatic winner.
"We had no time left to recover from that," Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said. "It's a bitter disappointment because I thought we deserved at least to go to penalties.
"It was an even game and a good one, I thought, but a goal changes everything."
Striker Bobby Zamora helped set up Fulham's equalizer but was forced from the field early in the second half with the Achilles' injury that kept him out of England's initial World Cup squad.
Fulham began to struggle up front without a focal point for its attack, but it almost withstood all Atletico's best efforts and forced Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores replaced tiring wingers Juan Antonio Reyes and Simao Sabrosa.
Zamora's 55th-minute exit gave Clint Dempsey the opportunity to become the first American player to appear in a European final, but the United States forward struggled to make an impact.
With Erik Nevland coming on up front in place of Damien Duff, who only played after a late recovery from a leg injury, Fulham then lacked a cutting edge despite some neat play in midfield from Dickson Etuhu and Davies.
Atletico's central defense of Mariano Pernia and Alvaro Dominguez was mostly untroubled for the last hour.
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