Ejaria a right Royals star
OVIE EJARIA produced a Dennis Bergkamp-style moment of magic to seal a shock Reading victory that saw Fulham lose top spot.
The midfielder, signed from Liverpool last year, scored a pair of wonder goals to hand Royals boss Veljko Paunovic a precious second win in five days.
But if Ejaria’s first effort after 19 minutes, a curling 25-yarder into the far corner, stunned Marco Silva’s men then the second left jaws on the floor all round Craven Cottage.
There were man-of-thematch candidates everywhere for the visitors, and one of them – ex-barcelona midfielder Alen Halilovic – provided a golden assist.
After 53 minutes he dinked a wedge pass over the defence that would have had Premier League legend Eric Cantona swooning.
And with the ball behind him and almost out of sight Ejaria somehow dragged it down leaving him clear of bewildered defenders before rolling the ball past Paolo Gazzaniga.
Paunovic, who now has 11 players out after Tom
Unused Subs: READING:
Unused Subs:
MAN OF THE MATCH:
REFEREE: Stephen Martin 6.
Holmes limped off, said: “It was an amazing performance from Ovie, the execution was fantastic.
“We have seen it in training many times, and wanted to see it in games.
“The attackers were exciting. It didn’t surprise me, we’ve to get the ball to him in the final third.
“But I am delighted with many things. It was a great result and performance that will get our season started. As for the injuries… I hear the hospitals have run out of crutches for us.”
Fulham’s top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic fired first over and then wide within 10 minutes. But Junior Hoilett soon brought a save from Gazzaniga.
And the Royals scored on the break after 19 minutes.
Halilovic fed John Swift, who transferred the ball on to Ejaria, who checked back onto his right foot, before curling a magnificent shot into the far corner. When Holmes hobbled off it meant a first league game in England since February last year for Chelsea loanee Danny Drinkwater.
Bobby De Cordova-reid should have converted Antonee Robinson’s cross and Mitrovic hit the bar.
After 53 minutes Ejaria bettered his first-half finish and Ivan Cavaleiro’s late reply was little consolation.
Fulham boss Silva said: “You can see from the stats, the possession and shots we had. But the result is there too, and we did not convert our chances.”