Gera big on Fulham's chances

Zoltán Gera scored the decisive goal as Fulham FC beat PFC CSKA Sofia 1-0 to keep alive their UEFA Europa League aspirations and then insisted Roy Hodgson's side can secure the win they need against FC Basel 1893 on Matchday 6 to book their place in the round of 32.

Gera winner
Gera's 15th-minute header at Craven Cottage did the damage against CSKA, though Fulham spurned a raft of subsequent opportunities to put the result beyond doubt. Their Bulgarian visitors emerged as a far more threatening outfit after half-time, but Fulham preserved their slender advantage to tee up a make-or-break trip to Switzerland. Basel's 2-1 defeat by AS Roma means they now need only a point from the visit of the Cottagers to ensure their progression from Group E while for Fulham only victory will suffice in a game that comes on the back of domestic matches against Sunderland AFC and Burnley FC.

'Strong enough'
"We have a squad good enough to do well enough in the Premier League and then get the result we need in Europe," said Gera, whose goal against CSKA was his third of the season. "We have a strong squad, we have some good players as you saw with the ones who came in today and did really well. Last season nobody expected Fulham to get into Europe but we are strong enough."

Home help
Fulham have picked up seven of their eight UEFA Europa League Group E points at Craven Cottage, beating Basel and drawing against Roma prior to the CSKA triumph, and have only been defeated on home soil this season by UEFA Champions League contenders Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC. "Every game is difficult, you never think you will definitely win at home," added Gera. "[But] the crowd is very good and the pitch is tight so the fans are close. Maybe the other teams don't like to play at Fulham."

'Tough'
John Pantsil, meanwhile, is keen that Fulham master the art of closing out a game ahead of the Basel encounter on 16 December after coming close to surrendering their lead against CSKA. "We had a good first half but the second was tough because of the way they were putting pressure on us, they had some chances," said the Ghanaian defender. "We've got to learn how to deal with these situations."