On This Day in 2011, Dempsey's Glancing Header is Fulham's First Goal of the Season in a Rough Start
The summer of 2011 had been kind to Clint Dempsey and Fulham. Fresh off being voted the club's Player of the Season by the fans after finishing as their leading scorer with 12 Premier League goals, the Texan had carried that form into the new campaign. He had tormented Ukrainian opposition Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Europa League qualifying, scoring twice in a dominant 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage on August 18 that all but secured Fulham's passage to the group stages.
But European success came with a price. The midweek trip to Ukraine for the second leg had taken its toll on Martin Jol's squad, and by the time they arrived in Newcastle on August 28, fatigue was evident on their faces. The Cottagers looked sluggish from the opening whistle, struggling to match the energy of a Newcastle side riding high on their unbeaten start to the season.
For 80 minutes, it appeared that Fulham's continental adventures would cost them dearly in domestic competition. Leon Best had struck twice in the second half, capitalizing on Mark Schwarzer's parried save before doubling the advantage with a perfectly placed finish from Demba Ba's cross. At 2-0 down with time running out, the visitors looked beaten.
Then came the 88th minute, and with it, a reminder of why Dempsey had become such a crucial figure for both club and country. Danny Murphy, Fulham's veteran playmaker, stepped up to take a free kick 25 yards from goal. His delivery was inch-perfect, curling through the Newcastle air with just enough pace to trouble Tim Krul but sufficient height to find its target.
Twelve yards from goal, Dempsey had positioned himself with the instincts of a natural finisher. As the ball sailed toward him, he rose above the Newcastle defenders, timing his jump to perfection. The header was authoritative – not spectacular, but clinical in its execution. Krul, who had been virtually unbeatable all afternoon with a series of brilliant saves, could only watch as the ball nestled in the net.
"It is frustrating, I thought we did enough to get something," Jol would reflect afterward, praising Krul's exceptional performance while lamenting his team's missed opportunities. For Dempsey, the goal represented more than just a consolation – it was Fulham's first Premier League strike of the new season, breaking their barren run at the most crucial moment.
Though Newcastle held on for the victory, Dempsey's header had transformed the narrative of defeat. What could have been a demoralizing shutout became a statement of intent, a declaration that Fulham would not go quietly into any night. The goal showcased everything that made Dempsey such a valuable asset: his positioning, his timing, and his unwavering belief that every situation could be salvaged with one perfect moment.
As the American prepared to join Jurgen Klinsmann's national team setup in the coming weeks, his late strike at St. James' Park served as a reminder of his quality. In a season where Fulham would need every goal to navigate both domestic and European competitions, Dempsey had once again proven he could deliver when it mattered most. One header might not have changed the result, but it reinforced why he remained the player his teammates and fans looked to when all seemed lost.