West Ham draws 1-1 with Fulham in Premier League

Posted Sunday, October 03, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (AP)—Clint Dempsey returned to haunt Robert Green in their first meeting since the England goalkeeper’s howler at the World Cup, scoring with a left-footed volley in Fulham’s 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Unlike his pitiful attempt to stop the United States midfielder’s weakly hit long-range shot in South Africa, Green couldn’t be blamed for Dempsey’s 33rd-minute goal from 12 meters at Upton Park.

Frederic Piquionne equalized in the 51st minute with an unmarked header in the box. He had started instead of England striker Carlton Cole after having scored the only goal last week against Tottenham in West Ham’s sole victory so far this season.

That equalizer extended Fulham’s winless away streak to 13 months, but the draw also condemned West Ham to sit last in the standings on goal difference.

Wigan’s 2-0 victory over Wolves and Everton’s first win of the season—2-0 at Birmingham—mean West Ham drops to last with five points despite extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to four matches.

“I think the most important thing today was first to take points and second to show that we are improving,” Hammers manager Avram Grant said. “The position in the league now is not important because one win can take you up four or five places.”

Fulham manager Mark Hughes was annoyed referee Andre Marriner failed to award his side a penalty in the first half when United States forward Eddie Johnson went down under a challenge from Lars Jacobsen.

“At 2-0 going into half time it would have been difficult for them to come back,” Hughes told the Press Association. “Eddie got in behind the defence and if there is any contact whatsoever then more often than not it is a penalty.

“Unfortunately for us for whatever reason it wasn’t given. From our point of view it was clear, there was a coming together, a tangle of legs and a goalscoring opportunity was denied, so it should have been a penalty.”

Fulham entered the match on a six-game unbeaten run and was further boosted by West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer failing to recover from a stomach upset.

Dempsey started up front and he wasted little time in trying to test Green from long range, curling his shot wide. The American had humiliated the goalkeeper 112 days ago in Rustenburg that set the tone for England’s poor World Cup.

Dempsey was left with a large bump near his eye after an aerial challenge with West Ham defender Manuel da Costa. He complained he had been elbowed but Marriner allowed play to continue.

Marriner was again unmoved when Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy’s lofted ball found Johnson before he went down in the box.

However, Dempsey was then played in over the top by Simon Davies to dispatch a left-footed volley past Green and put Fulham 1-0 up.

The American came close to doubling Fulham’s advantage soon after the break when his curling shot bounced on top of the bar.

Slack marking cost Fulham after 50 minutes as West Ham drew level through Piquionne’s header.

Brede Hangeland’s misplaced pass was picked up by West Ham’s Luis Boa Morte, who laid the ball down the right flank to Victor Obinna. The Nigerian’s cross was at the perfect height for the unmarked Piquionne, who made no mistake from six yards for his third goal in three games.