Hodgson aggrieved at `injustice'
Posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 by PA
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson believes his team suffered an "injustice" in Thursday night's 2-1 defeat to Roma in the Europa League at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Cottagers felt some of the decisions by referee Kevin Blom greatly hindered their chances of progressing in Europe.
Having taken a deserved 1-0 half-time lead through a Diomansy Kamara penalty, Fulham had substitute Erik Nevland shown a straight red card early in the second half after his foul on Daniele De Rossi.
Roma then punished the English club with goals from John Arne Riise and Stefano Okaka to inflict Fulham's first defeat in the competition.
There was additional agony for the visitors as Paul Konchesky was sent off late in the game while they chased an equaliser.
"You cannot be happy in the face of injustice," Hodgson said. "I accept the situation because the referee makes the decision but I'm not happy.
"I think the two red cards were very harsh. I didn4t speak to the referee. I only spoke to the fourth official.
"To play in the second half down to 10 men is a bitter pill to swallow.
"But what can you do but accept the referee's decision because it doesn't change anything."
Fulham had gone into the game on the back of a 3-1 triumph over Liverpool and looked impressive in the opening half, just as they had been at Craven Cottage in their 1-1 draw against Roma a fortnight ago.
"It was a fantastic performance from my players in the first half," Hodgson said. "We have been better than Roma when playing 11 against 11 in both games."
Roma coach Claudio Ranieri, meanwhile, felt the red card for Nevland was justified.
"The sending off benefited us for sure," Ranieri said. "But I believe it was a red card as Nevland made the foul in a Roma counter-attack.
"Fulham deserved the lead in the first half but my team did better after the re-start and we never gave up and we were rewarded."
The outcome allowed Roma to leapfrog the Cottagers into second in the group, two points clear of the Londoners with two games remaining.
Hodgson believes his team's chances of progressing in Europe are now slim.
"This defeat leaves us struggling in the group," Hodgson said. "Every time you get players sent off you have players suspended for three matches which means, at this rate, I would need to have a squad of 60 players.
"Unfortunately, this defeat takes things out of our hands a little bit. We could win the last two games and still not qualify."
Hodgson, whose side travel to Wigan this weekend, expects his team will learn from the trip to Rome.
"It has been an interesting experience," Hodgson said. "We will become stronger and bounce back."
Ranieri feels Roma now control their own destiny.
"I think now we have a good chance to progress but there are still two games remaining and we face group leaders Basle in the next round," he said.
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