OB strive to overcome English opponents
Friday, September 16, 2011
Article summary
Odense BK entertain Fulham FC in UEFA Europa League Group K knowing they must break their duck against English opponents after seven attempts without success.
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Article body
Odense BK will look to finally break their duck against English opponents at the seventh attempt as Fulham FC come to Denmark in UEFA Europa League Group K.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition, and this is also Fulham's first meeting with Danish opponents.
• OB's six games against English teams have ended W0 D2 L4 (W0 D1 L2 at home).
• Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell will remember OB's most recent home game against an English side well; the midfielder scored an own goal as Aston Villa FC drew 2-2 in Odense in the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Match background
• OB have lost just one of their last 15 European home games (2-1 against VfB Stuttgart on matchday two of last season's UEFA Europa League group stage), with the record on that run of W8 D6 L1.
• Fulham have won one of their four away games in Europe this season, 3-1 at Crusaders FC, but failed to score in their other three fixtures on the road.
Team facts
• OB are within four goals of their 100th in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Cup; this is their 54th game in the competition.
• Young Fulham striker Marcello Trotta celebrates his 19th birthday on the day of the game; he has yet to make his European debut for the club.
• A number of OB players have experience of English football:
Eric Djemba-Djemba (Manchester United FC, 2003-05, Aston Villa 2005-06)
Andreas Johansson (Wigan Athletic, 2005-07)
Bernard Mendy (Bolton Wanderers FC, 2002-03, Hull City AFC, 2008-10)
Morten Skoubo (West Bromwich Albion FC, 2004)
Stefan Wessels (Everton FC, 2007-08)
• Former Denmark midfielder Claus Jensen played for Fulham from 2004 until his retirement in 2007.
• Henrik Clausen has spent almost his entire career with OB, barring a brief spell as assistant coach at Vejle BK. He led the club's youth and reserve teams for a long while before being given the senior job in 2010, leading them to second place in the league. His side finished bottom in their section in last season's UEFA Europa League group stage.
• A former midfielder, capped three times for the Netherlands, Fulham boss Martin Jol played in Germany and England as well as his home country, and has coached in all three nations too with Tottenham Hotspur FC, Hamburger SV and AFC Ajax.
