West Brom 1-1 Fulham

Felix Magath was denied a winning start as Fulham boss as Matej Vydra’s late strike rescued a point for West Brom.

Ashkan Dejagah’s first-half effort looked like being enough to earn the Cottagers a vital victory, only for Vydra to rescue a share of the spoils after a mistake from Maarten Stekelenburg.

Magath restored Brede Hangeland to the side, while Fernando Amorebieta, Scott Parker, Dejagah and Hugo Rodallega were also handed starts.

The visitors started brightly, with John Heitinga heading over and Lewis Holtby firing wide. Steve Sidwell missed a sitter when he blazed the ball over the bar from Dejagah’s cross.

However, the hosts should’ve broken the deadlock when Thievy Bifouma was sent in the clear, only to be denied by Stekelenburg’s legs.

That miss proved costly on 27 minutes. The Baggies failed to deal with Kieran Richardson’s low cross, and Dejagah thumped the ball past Ben Foster before running over to celebrate with Magath.

Fulham continued to threaten, and Rodallega came close to adding a second, but Foster turned his thunderbolt over.

The Baggies improved after the break, with Stekelenburg called into action to thwart Chris Brunt, while the Dutch keeper denied James Morrison shortly after.

Saido Berahino flashed a shot wide of Stekelenburg’s post as the Cottagers came under increased pressure as the half wore on.

Magath brought on Dan Burn in an attempt to keep West Brom at bay as the hosts piled forward in search of a leveller.

And they finally found it five minutes from time. Morrison squared the ball for Vydra, whose shot squirmed under Stekelenburg and creeped over the line.

The keeper tried desperately to claw the ball to safety, only for referee Mike Dean to award the goal after Hawk-eye confirmed the ball had gone in.

Fulham: Stekelenburg, Riether, Heitinga, Hangeland, Amorebieta (Riise 51), Dejagah, Parker, Sidwell, Richardson (Burn 70), Holtby, Rodallega (Mitroglou 60).

Subs (not used): Stockdale, Kvist, Kasami, Tankovic.