DID anybody have Patjim Kasami at 12-1 to score the winner?
Well done if you did, and well done Whites who while woeful on the road in the past have nonetheless tended to shine at the Stadium of Light.
They are now unbeaten in the last five on Wearside, and the Swiss-Macedonian, who spent the second half of last season in the Swiss League, scored his first Fulham goal on only his ninth appearance since moving to the Cottage in 2011.
Kasami’s bullet header from Damien Duff’s corner on 52 minutes smashed the net – but Fulham may yet be counting the cost.
Kieran Richardson lasted just 19 minutes before he pulled up lame to be replaced by Matthew Briggs.
The preferred left-back has suffered more than his fair share of injury woe since joining the Whites and it got worse when he pulled up clutching his left leg.
And Maarten Stekelenburg was forced off with a shoulder injury in the second half as David Stockdale – himself doubtful with a sore thumb was forced to grin an bear it for the last 15 minutes.
Derek Boateng’s Premier League debut lasted just 23 minutes until he was showed a yellow card for a series of fouls with referee Neil Swarbrick holding up three fingers to show he had counted every infringement.
Ondrej Celustka tested the reflexes of Stekelenburg on 35 minutes with a terrific right-footed swerver, but a second Fulham newcomer was its equal to finger tip away.
Boss Martin Jol confounded the experts by giving QPR loanee Adel Taarabt a debut as well as leaving Bryan Ruiz on the bench, but even though Dimitar Berbatov was booked late for dissent Fulham held on for a fantastic first three points.
Fulham: 4-4-2: Stekelenburg (Stockdale 75); Riether, Richardson (Briggs 19), Hangeland, Hughes; Boateng (Karagounis 64); Sidwell, Taarabt, Duff; Kasami (pic), Berbatov.
Subs not used: Senderos, Ruiz, Rodallega, Bent
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