Fulham have raced into a 3-1 lead at the halfway stage of their Premier League match against struggling Queens Park Rangers this evening.
© PA Photos
The hosts made a bright start to the match, testing Julio Cesar in just the sixth minute through Damien Duff's low strike that the Brazilian did well to keep out.
He could do nothing about Fulham's opener, however. Ashkan Dejagah nipped in to steal the ball off Christopher Samba, who didn't see the midfielder coming and brought him down inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot and Dimitar Berbatov stepped up to coolly send the keeper the wrong way.
The hosts almost doubled their lead in fortuitous circumstances in the 20th minute when Duff's free kick hit Samba in the back and deflected just past the bottom corner.
Fulham wouldn't have to wait long for a second, however, as Samba hesitated in possession, allowing Dejagah to steal the ball and set up Berbatov, who slid his shot underneath Cesar.
QPR looked to get a goal back and almost did so when Loic Remy headed the ball across goal to Bobby Zamora, whose shot on the turn flew over the bar.
The same duo combined again four minutes later, but this time it was Zamora who cushioned the ball to Remy, who saw his effort take a deflection on its way out.
Fulham's third goal came with just four minutes of the half left as Clint Hill inadvertently turned the ball into his own net from a John Arne Riise cross.
QPR were handed a lifeline right on the stroke of half time, however, when Giorgios Karagounis gave the ball away, allowing the visitors to break and Adel Taarabt produced a smart finish at the end of it to make it 3-1.
Barney Corkhill
