Dempsey puts Fulham into Europa League quarters

Mar 19, 2010 - 4:34 AM By MATT SCHIFFMAN Associated Press Writer

LONDON(AP) -- Just back from a layoff of nearly two months, Clint Dempsey put Fulham into the Europa League quarterfinals in one of the biggest victories in club history.

Dempsey got the decisive score in the 82nd minute as Fulham rallied from a three-goal aggregate deficit to beat Juventus 4-1 on Thursday night.

The 27-year-old midfielder from Nacogdoches, Texas, entered in the 71st minute and beat Antonio Chimenti with a well-timed right-footed chip on the edge of the penalty area for his eighth goal of the season, his second in the Europa League. U.S. coach Bob Bradley was on hand at Craven Cottage as Fulham won the home-and-home, total-goals series 5-4.

"Nine times out of 10 it won't make it, but you've got to take a risk and fortunately enough it worked out tonight," Dempsey said. "We conceded early in the game but showed a lot of heart and a lot of character to fight back, and now we're through to the next round."

The Cottagers, long overshadowed in London by Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, have never won a major title, and the victory over Juventus followed Premier League wins over Liverpool and Manchester United this season. Dempsey returned in the first leg last Thursday in Turin, his first match since injuring his right knee in a Premier League game against Blackburn on Jan. 17.

"It's great to be back playing," he said, "and to score a big goal like this is a great experience."

In May 2007, Dempsey scored against Liverpool to help save Fulham from relegation.

Already leading 3-1 from the first leg, Juventus boosted its lead when David Trezeguet scored in the second minute. Bobby Zamora tied it in the ninth, and Fabio Cannavaro was ejected in the 28th.

"If it had stayed 11 versus 11, I don't think Juve would have been the ones eliminated," Juventus coach Alberto Zaccheroni said. "I think the referee was a bit too strict. (Cannavero) being sent off had an effect on the result."

Zoltan Gera scored in the 39th and converted a penalty kick in the 49th. Juventus, the 1985 and 1996 European champion, finished with nine men after defender Jonathan Zebina was ejected in second-half injury time.

In other games, Liverpool defeated Lille 3-0 to advance 3-1; Anderlecht beat Hamburg but the German club advanced 6-5; Benfica won 2-1 at Marseille to advance 3-2; Standard Liege beat Panathinaikos 1-0 to advance 4-1; Valencia tied 4-4 at Werder Bremen and advanced on 4-1 away goals; Atletico Madrid tied 2-2 at Sporting Lisbon and advanced on 2-0 away goals; and Wolfsburg beat Rubin Kazan 2-1 in overtime to advance 3-2.

At Liverpool, Steven Gerrard converted a penalty kick in the ninth minute after Adil Rami fouled Lucas Leiva, and Fernando Torres added goals in the 49th and 90th minutes.

At Bremen, David Villa scored three goals and Juan Mata had one for Valencia. Hugo Almeida, Torsten Frings, Marko Marin and Claudio Pizarro scored for Werder.