Fulham cruises past Stoke with Berbatov beauty
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 24, 2013
Fulham forward Dimitar Berbatov produced a moment of magic to end his side's poor run with a 1-0 win over Stoke City at Craven Cottage yesterday.
Berbatov marked his 200th Premier League appearance with his 85th goal in the English top-flight and it was one of the former Manchester United star's best as he netted a superb volley just before half-time.
Martin Jol's team still needed a second-half penalty save from Mark Schwarzer, who kept out Jon Walters' effort, to clinch just its fourth win in 19 league games.
Berbatov and Schwarzer's heroics lifted Fulham to 11th, nine points clear of the drop zone, and continued the away-day misery for Stoke, which has won just once in 23 games on its travels.
Later, leader Manchester United can stretch its advantage over Manchester City to a massive 15 points if it wins at bottom club Queens Park Rangers. City is not in action until today, when it welcomes third-placed Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal will look to put recent FA Cup and Champions League disappointments behind it when it hosts Aston Villa, while third-bottom Reading hosts second-bottom Wigan Athletic in a veritable relegation six-pointer.
In London, Fulham's first sight of goal fell to Berbatov after Sascha Riether's cross picked out the Bulgarian forward for a close-range volley that looped just over.
Bryan Ruiz had the ball in the net moments later but Fulham's celebrations were cut short as referee Lee Probert correctly ruled that the Costa Rican forward had used his hand to score.
Steven Nzonzi needed treatment after a collision with Berbatov left the Stoke midfielder with blood dripping from the bridge of his nose. Nzonzi still seemed miffed following that incident and he was fortunate to escape with a booking after cuffing Ruiz around the head in an off-the-ball incident.
A ferocious free-kick from Fulham midfielder Giorgos Karagounis brought the best save of the half from Asmir Begovic.
Jol's team pushed on and finally broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage-time when a cross was only half cleared to Berbatov, who showed superb technique to lash a brilliant volley into the top corner of Begovic's goal.
Schwarzer came to Fulham's rescue in the 54th minute after Ashkan Dejagah conceded a penalty when he blocked Brek Shea's cross with his arms.
Walters stepped up to take the spot-kick, but the Stoke striker has a poor record with penalties this season and his luck was out again as Schwarzer dived to his right to save.
In Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt drew 0-0 at SC Freiburg on Friday to hold off the host's challenge for the Bundesliga's last Champions League place.
"The draw was fair," Frankfurt coach Armin Veh said. "We didn't allow anything in the first half, Freiburg were better in the second half."
Frankfurt remained fourth while Freiburg stayed three points behind ahead of the rest of the weekend's games.
Runaway leader Bayern Munich, on 57, can go 18 points clear with a win over visiting Werder Bremen yesterday.
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