IT’S YANN THE MAN

Kermorgant makes Kalas pay penalty

JAAP STAM will take his Reading side to Wembley thanks to a nerveless second-half penalty from Yann Kermorgant.

The striker showed impressive composure to calmly convert from 12 yards after he forced defender Tomas Kalas to handle in the box three minutes after half-time.

Referee Martin Atkinson’s call was disputed by the visitors who claimed Kermorgant had pushed Kalas’ arm against the ball.

Tension

But that did not matter as the former Leicester forward gave his side an advantage they held on to until the final whistle.

Stam will now wait to see whether it is Huddersfield or Sheffield Wednesday who his side face at Wembley on May 29.

The Dutchman admitted in his programme notes last night that he was feeling the tension of a semi-final far more as a manager than he ever did as a player.

And the start Fulham made will have worried him even more.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s side looked better equipped to deal with the atmosphere during a tense first Yp @8E N@EIFN half. Stam had been forced to shuffle his pack after captain Paul McShane was sent off in the first leg and goalscorer Jordan Obita had to sit the game out injured.

And the combination of those changes and nerves appeared to affect the home side, although it was the Royals who carved out the first opening.

Joey van den Berg hoisted a long ball towards Kermorgant in the penalty area. The striker headed on and then reacted first when the ball broke loose, only to be denied by Marcus Bettinelli.

But had it not been for Ali Al-Habsi in the Reading goal, Fulham would have been in control by half-time.

Ryan Fredericks forced a good save from the veteran keeper as the visitors looked to edge ahead.

But Stam fired his players up at the break and Kermorgant struck after Kalas’ handball.

John Swift should have made it two when he missed a sitter from close range, firing straight at Bettinelli from just five yards out.

Fulham huffed and puffed as the half wore on but could find no way past Al-Habsi and Stam’s Premier League dream lives on.