Papa piledriver stuns United

Fulham 1 Man Utd 1

Alan Smith’s first-half goal looked to have kept United in touch at the top but Diop’s 30-yard blockbuster earned Fulham a creditable draw at Craven Cottage.

England international Smith took advantage of some woeful defending by Sylvain Legwinski to slot the ball home from an acute angle and put United in control in the opening half.

United had already thumped both uprights within the space of two minutes prior to Smith’s opener while Fulham’s Andy Cole also hit the post in the second-half.

United had far too much guile and creativity for the home side early on.

The visitors dominated the opening half even though Edwin van der Sar was largely untroubled in the opening quarter.

Fulham’s final ball left much to be desired and United were quick to seize the initiative once the home side had returned possession to their visitors.

Gary Neville tried his luck from 20 yards but his shot soared into the higher reaches of the stand instead of homing in on its intended target.

United’s clever approach work was slowly, yet inevitably, creating more opportunities for the visitors but they were stifled by Fulham’s hardworking rearguard.

In the 29th minute United almost made their possession tell with skipper Roy Keane slamming a 20-yard shot against van der Sar’s left-hand upright.

Ian Pearce blocked a shot from Ryan Giggs but the ball rolled nicely for Irishman Keane on the edge of the penalty area.

The Fulham goalkeeper was beaten again two minutes later but this time it was the right-hand post which came to his rescue.

United were now storming forward and Smith cleverly fed Wayne Rooney in the left-hand channel only for the England youngster to fire a shot against the opposite post.

A minute later, United’s spell of intense pressure was finally rewarded with the opening goal and Smith put the visitors in front.

The England international collected a low cross from Cristiano Ronaldo but appeared to have lost his chance when failing to control the ball.

But Smith won the ball back from Legwinski on the edge of the six-yard box and was then allowed to turn and beat Liam Rosenior before slotting the ball home.

In the 37th minute Keane ran onto a pass from Smith and brought a fine save from van der Sar as they searched for a second goal.

Fulham had brief moments of their own though and former United striker Cole, making his 350th league appearance, sent a fierce angled drive across the face of the United goal two minutes before the break.

Ronaldo almost made it two, seconds before the break, when his right-foot drive fizzed beyond the far post. Fulham were quick to hit back after the break and Roy Carroll was forced to tip a header from Diop over the crossbar after Mark Pembridge had planted a corner into the danger area.

Ronaldo, as in the first half, was being booed every time he collected the ball. Fulham fans were angry that Ronaldo had dived in the penalty box in the first-half in a failed attempt to win a penalty.

In the 51st minute, United had a lucky escape when Cole turned Rio Ferdinand in the penalty area and sent a rising shot against Carroll’s left-hand post.

Fulham’s early fire was soon extinguished by United though, and Smith forced a save from van der Sar when he rose to head the ball goalwards from six yards.

The England striker almost made it two when he produced a neat turn and shot that only just went the wrong side of the far post in the 54th minute.

A quick counter-attack by Fulham’s Rosenior allowed Steed Malbranque to get in a shot from 18 yards but it was far too inaccurate to bother Carroll.

Fulham’s attacking desire made for a much more free-flowing game and that suited their visitors who looked dangerous every time they regained possession.

The home side were now leaving enough space in midfield for United to exploit at will.

Fulham’s occasional forays into the United danger area were snuffed out by Ferdinand who was enjoying a fine game at the heart of the defence.

Giggs was beginning to torment the Fulham defence and they could do little but foul the Welshman as he surged forward time and again.

But Fulham saved their best until last and when Paul Scholes failed to close down Diop, the Fulham player unleashed an unstoppable drive into the net beyond Carroll.

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Rosenior, Pearce, Rehman, Bocanegra, Malbranque (John 83), Legwinski (Radzinski 74), Pembridge, Diop, Cole, McBride.

MAN UTD: Carroll, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Smith, Rooney.

Ref: P Dowd.