Fulham's American midfielder Clint Dempsey celebrates scoring a goal during their UEFA Europa League, round of 16, second leg football match against Juventus at Craven Cottage, London, on Thursday, March 18, 2010.
Fulham's American midfielder Clint Dempsey celebrates scoring a goal during their UEFA Europa League, round of 16, second leg football match against Juventus at Craven Cottage, London, on Thursday, MaShow more

Fulham's astonishing win over Juventus



Fulham completed an astonishing second-leg comeback as Clint Dempsey's goal saw them into the last eight of the Europa League after a 4-1 win over nine-man Juventus at Craven Cottage. Dempsey drifted a sublime chip past goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti to seal an historic 5-4 aggregate win for the Cottagers. Bobby Zamora cancelled out David Trezeguet's opener before Fulham surged into a 3-1 lead on the night, levelling the tie on aggregate, thanks to two goals from Zoltan Gera. Juventus had been reduced to 10 men after Fabio Cannavaro was sent off in the first half and their fate was sealed in the 82nd minute thanks to Dempsey's winner. Juve's misery was completed by the dismissal of Jonathan Zebina in injury time. David Villa's hat trick earned Valencia an equally thrilling away-goals win over Werder Bremen after a 4-4 draw at the Weserstadion. With the teams level at 1-1 from last week's clash in Spain, Villa and Juan Mata put Valencia 3-1 up on aggregate before Hugo Almeida halved the deficit. Villa struck again before Torsten Frings and Marko Marin made it 3-3 on the night, only for Villa to complete his treble and hand the initiative back to the visitors. Claudio Pizarro's header six minutes from time ensured a tense finish but Valencia prevailed after a 5-5 aggregate draw. Alan Kardec struck in injury time as Benfica edged out Marseille 2-1 at the Stade Velodrome and 3-2 on aggregate. All the goals came in the final 20 minutes, Mamadou Niang blasting Marseille into the lead before Maxi Pereira, a goal scorer in the first leg, repeated the feat from long range with the aid of a deflection off Benoit Cheyrou. The game went into stoppage time still level but, with extra time looming, Kardec fired home from Pablo Aimar's free-kick to seal victory and Marseille then had Hatem Ben Arfa sent off. Standard Liege, 3-1 up from the first leg, completed victory over Panathinaikos in routine fashion thanks to Dieudonne Mbokani's goal in first-half stoppage time. The striker flicked a bouncing ball over his marker before firing fiercely past goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas to put his side's place in the draw beyond doubt.

Liverpool joined their fellow Barclays Premier League side Fulham in the last eight after overcoming a first-leg deficit with a comfortable 3-0 win over Lille. Steven Gerrard levelled the tie at 1-1 with a ninth-minute penalty after Lucas was fouled, and two routine finishes from Spain striker Fernando Torres made the game safe. Hamburg claimed a thrilling 6-5 aggregate win over Anderlecht after a second leg, which swung to and fro at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. Leading 3-1 from the first leg, Hamburg extended their advantage through Jerome Boateng three minutes before half-time but were remarkably pegged back to 4-3 on aggregate as teenager Romelu Lukaku and Matias Suarez, from a penalty, struck before the interval. Marcell Jansen restored the German side's two-goal cushion but Anderlecht against responded, Lucas Biglia and Mbark Boussoufa's goals meaning Hamburg led only by virtue of the away-goals rule. Mladen Petric, though, scored 15 minutes from time to ease his side's nerves and earn them a quarter-final spot. Sergio Aguero's first-half brace was enough to earn Atletico Madrid a tense away-goals victory over Sporting Lisbon. The Argentina striker turned in Antonio Lopes' cross in the third minute and, after Liedson headed the hosts level, Aguero beat two men and finished superbly with the outside of his foot to restore the Spanish side's lead. Sporting found a second equaliser when Anderson Polga headed in Miguel Veloso's free-kick in first-half injury time but a spell of pressure early in the second half came to nought and they were unable to break through again. Christian Gentner's late goal saw Wolfsburg complete the quarter-final line-up by virtue of a 2-1 extra-time win over Rubin Kazan. After a 1-1 first leg in Russia, Alan Kasaev put Rubin ahead having been teed up by Alexander Bukharov, but Wolves substitute Obafemi Martins levelled with a diving header from close range. The hosts were harshly denied a late winner when Edin Dzeko tapped in but an erroneous offside flag earlier in the move ensured an additional 30 minutes. Wolfsburg's Marcel Schafer and Rubin's Cesar Navas went close from corners before the latter was sent off following a second booking for tugging back Dzeko. And Gentner brilliantly swept home Martins' pass from the edge of the box with a minute remaining to ensure justice was done. * PA Sport

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