Fulham and Wigan Athletic's draw at Craven Cottage was livened up by two excellent goals from Giorgios Karagounis and Franco di Santo as the Cottagers held on for a point.
Fulham vs. Wigan Athletic: Final score 1-1, Cottagers scrape point against Latics
Fulham were fortunate to get a point against Wigan Athletic at Craven Cottage as Giorgios Karagounis and Franco di Santo both got on the scoresheet.
Wigan made a lively start to the game, taking full advantage of a rather lightweight Fulham midfield featuring a very deep-lying Bryan Ruiz. Their industry didn't lead to any clear chances, though, and they fell behind after 22 minutes when Giorgios Karagounis scored a wonderful goal, repeating his FA Cup skills against Blackburn by crashing a piledriver in off the post from 25 yards to put his side ahead.
Wigan continued to press for an opening, but were wasteful when one finally came along, Franco di Santo and Emerson Boyce both sending good chances over the bar from close range.
After the break, Wigan continued to search for an opener, and Shaun Maloney attempted to replicate Karagounis' endeavours with a fine effort from range, but Mark Schwarzer pulled out a fine save to tip it over the bar. Wigan were beginning to get into the game though, none more than Franco Di Santo, who almost levelled for the visitors after an extended period of pressure after producing some great skill to flick the ball up and meet it with a volley, but his shot went just wide.
Fulham didn’t take the warning however, and shortly afterwards, Di Santo did find the target, going on a great run as he cut in from the left of the pitch and powered the ball past Schwarzer for a deserved equaliser for both player and team.
Fulham were rocking, yet as Wigan surged forwards in search of a winner that was appearing increasingly inevitable, the home side almost snatched three points when Bryan Ruiz broke into space and sent in a shot which Maynor Figueroa had to clear off the line.
Neither side will be entirely happy with the point, with Wigan having been the better team and Fulham in desperate need of a win, but both will take signs of encouragement from the game. Fulham defended well, despite their inability to control the game, and Wigan certainly didn’t look like a team that will be in the bottom three at the end of the season.
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