Fulham ended Wigan Athletic's European hopes with a fortunate 1-0 win at Craven Cottage last night.
Fulham rode their luck for much of the game, with Antti Niemi making a great save from Gary Teale, while Jason Roberts and Lee McCulloch headed wide.
Wigan paid for their profligacy when Steed Malbranque swept the ball into the net in first half stoppage time.
Fulham had to defend for much of the second half and late in the game David Connolly missed an open goal.
This was only Niemi's seventh game for Fulham since he moved from Southampton in January, but his assured goalkeeping proved key to victory.
As well as making the save of the game to deny Teale early on in the second half, the Finnish goalkeeper did well to hold on to Jimmy Bullard's swerving shot as Wigan searched for an equaliser.
Fulham manager Chris Coleman admitted afterwards: "If we were lucky to get three points I couldn't give a monkey's.
"We're at the point of the season where we need points. We were booed off at half-time and rightly so.
"Many times this season we have played well and come off with nothing. At least the lads showed a bit of spirit and hung on and I was delighted."
Wigan manager Paul Jewell also said: "We didn't have the instinct to get us a goal.
"I don't know what the stats were but if it was a boxing match they'd have asked for it to be stopped I think.
"Our goalscoring record is where we have got to improve next season, and that's the whole team, not just the strikers."
Fulham rode their luck for much of the game, with Antti Niemi making a great save from Gary Teale, while Jason Roberts and Lee McCulloch headed wide.
Wigan paid for their profligacy when Steed Malbranque swept the ball into the net in first half stoppage time.
Fulham had to defend for much of the second half and late in the game David Connolly missed an open goal.
This was only Niemi's seventh game for Fulham since he moved from Southampton in January, but his assured goalkeeping proved key to victory.
As well as making the save of the game to deny Teale early on in the second half, the Finnish goalkeeper did well to hold on to Jimmy Bullard's swerving shot as Wigan searched for an equaliser.
Fulham manager Chris Coleman admitted afterwards: "If we were lucky to get three points I couldn't give a monkey's.
"We're at the point of the season where we need points. We were booed off at half-time and rightly so.
"Many times this season we have played well and come off with nothing. At least the lads showed a bit of spirit and hung on and I was delighted."
Wigan manager Paul Jewell also said: "We didn't have the instinct to get us a goal.
"I don't know what the stats were but if it was a boxing match they'd have asked for it to be stopped I think.
"Our goalscoring record is where we have got to improve next season, and that's the whole team, not just the strikers."
