CLINT Dempsey scored an own-goal and missed a penalty as Fulham went down 2-0 at Swansea City this afternoon.
Leroy Lita had the first chance of the game for the hosts, heading wide a cross from the right from Wayne Routledge, before Scott Sinclair's free kick from the edge of the area took a massive deflection off Andrew Johnson, flying over with Mark Schwarzer wrong-footed.
Luke Moore then went close, firing just over from 35 yards out, and moments later, Lita screamed for a penalty after claiming his shirt was pulled in the area, but Fulham were given a free kick instead.
Sinclair forced Schwarzer to get down well and save on the half hour mark, while a superb run and cross from Neil Taylor ended in a weak shot from Routledge, before Clint Demspey headed wide Fulham's first real chance from a corner.
The hosts started the second half like a house on fire, with a succession of crosses from Routledge well defended, and there was a worrying moment when Schwarzer landed awkwardly on his neck following an ariel challenge with Lita, but thankfully got up and carried on after treatment.
Swansea took the lead on 56 minutes when Sinclair's shot from inside the area was deflected in off the unfortunate Dempsey, with Schwarzer already going the other way.
Dempsey almost made immediate ammends at the other end, his superb through ball putting clean through Bryan Ruiz, whose efforts was well saved by home keeper Michel Vorm, and then by testing Vorm with another decent strike.
As Fulham finally started to turn the screw, John Arne Riise sent a trademark venemous free kick just wide, before Vorm came charging out to deny Andrew Johnson after he was put in by a lovely ball from Moussa Dembele.
Swansea should have wrapped it up 10 minutes from time when Danny Graham beat the offside trap but had too much time to think as he bore down on Schwarzer and wasted the chance, while down at the other end, Vorm was equal to sub Karim Frei's effort.
Seconds later, Frei was brought down in the box by Jazz Richards, but Dempsey completed a miserable personal afternoon by firing his spot kick straight at Vorm.
And in injury time, Graham applied the killer touch from Mark Gower's corner to kill off Fulham's hopes.
FULHAM: Schwarzer, Kelly, Hangeland, Senderos, John Arne Riise, Etuhu, Ruiz, Davies (Sa), Dembele (Frei 77), Johnson, Dempsey. Subs not used: Etheridge, Gecov, Bjorn Arne Riise, Hughes, Briggs.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest Fulham news.
