Soccer

Ryan Babel’s stunner leaves Cardiff in need of a miracle

Meanwhile, Everton’s chances of Europa League qualification took a major hit

Fulham’s Ryan Babel celebrates scoring their first goal during the Premier League win over Cardiff City. Photo: Eddie Keogh/Reuters

Sat Apr 27 2019 - 17:32

Fulham 1 Cardiff City 0

Ryan Babel struck a potentially deadly blow to Cardiff City’s Premier League survival chances with a stunning 25-yard strike that secured Fulham a deserved 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.

The defeat left Cardiff three points adrift of Brighton & Hove Albion, who play Newcastle United later on Saturday, and means they are likely to join Fulham in the Championship next season.

Somewhat bizarrely, Fulham equalled their own Premier League record of three successive wins as Dutchman Babel struck a fierce first-time shot 11 minutes from time to register his sixth goal of the season.

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The game was delayed for seven minutes in the first half after Fulham’s Denis Odoi was accidentally kicked in the face by team mate Maxine Le Marchand.

The defender was knocked out cold and had to be revived with oxygen before being carried off to a standing ovation.

After a lacklustre first half, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic blazed a wonderful chance just over from 12 yards and Cardiff substitute Bobby Reid hit the bar late on as the visitors mounted a storming finish.

Crystal Palace 0 Everton 0

Everton’s hopes of finishing in seventh and a potential Europa League qualification spot suffered a blow as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.

Coming into the match on the back of four wins in their last five league games, including a 4-0 victory over Manchester United last time out, Everton had much the better of the action in the first half, but could not convert from their 11 shots.

After the break, the visitors continued to press with Dominic Calvert-Lewin firing into the side netting.

Everton went even closer in the 54th minute, but Bernard’s powerful effort came out off the crossbar.

Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita then had to be at his best to deny substitute Cenk Tosun, while the hosts offered very little as an attacking force, seeing out the draw which means they have won just four times at home in the league this season.

The point helped Everton climb above Watford on goal difference into eighth position, but they are now four points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers in seventh, while Palace stay 12th.

Watford 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers got some measure of revenge for a stinging FA Cup defeat by Watford earlier this month by beating them 2-1 in a lively Premier League clash.

Having thrown away a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat by the Hornets at Wembley on April 7th, Wolves enjoyed better fortunes this time after goals by Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota gave them the win at Vicarage Road.

Jimenez saw a close-range effort cleared off the line before he fired the visitors into a 41st-minute lead with a close-range header at the far post, after livewire Jota had delivered a superb cross from the left.

An awful back-pass by Ryan Bennett gifted Watford a 49th-minute equaliser as Andre Gray scored his fifth goal in the last seven home games when he rounded goalkeeper Rui Patricio and slotted home from 13 metres past a Wolves defender.

Another howler, by Watford keeper Ben Foster this time, settled the contest to leave Wolves seventh on 54 points from 36 games, four ahead of eighth-placed Everton and ninth-placed Watford.

Foster was left stranded after misjudging a lofted long ball from the halfway line and Jota steered it into an empty net with a fine first-time shot from seven metres in the 77th minute.