Dnipro 1-0 Fulham (agg: 1-3)

Fulham manager Martin Jol suffered a tense night in the Ukraine

Fulham endured a torrid night in the Ukraine but held on to book their place in the draw for the group stages of the Europa League.

Evgeny Shakhov hauled Dnipro back into the tie with a 22nd minute strike but, despite coming under serious pressure, Martin Jol's men held firm.

The visitors created few chances, although Pajtim Kasami did blaze over from six yards out late in the game.

Fulham were second best, riding their luck on a number of occasions.

They were slow out of the blocks and it was no real surprise when the home side went into the lead.

Serhiy Kravchenko whipped in a fantastic corner and Shakhov was on hand to head home from inside the penalty area on 23 minutes.

That set the tone for a nervy remainder of the first half as the Cottagers struggled to deal with a succession of corners, while defender John Arne Riise was forced off the pitch with a serious looking injury.

At the other end, they failed to force a serious save out of Jan Lastuvka despite the workmanlike efforts of Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey on the flanks.

Dnipro stepped up a gear in the second half and Aaron Hughes made a fine block on Giuliano, while Shakov blazed over after good work by the lively Samuel Inkoom.

Without talismanic striker Bobby Zamora, the visitors struggled to hold onto the ball up front and, as a result invited wave after wave of attack.

Even so, the tie should have been over with 10 minutes to go when Kasami, who could blame a slight bobble on the difficult pitch, shot over after good work from Duff on the wing.

The hosts were guilty of some glaring misses themselves and former Blackburn Rovers striker Nikola Kalinic should have scored with a free header.

Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer, who looked sharp all evening, perhaps saved his best stop until last when he denied Yevhen Konoplyanka.

The final whistle proved music to the ears of the west London side, who will now look forward to Friday's draw for the group stages.

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