Fulham began their campaign during Wimbledon fortnight but couldn't quite make it to Christmas as they were dumped out of the Europa League in dramatic style.
Odense substitute Djiby Fall struck with a header in the third minute of stoppage time to deny Martin Jol's side a place in the last 32 as Wisla Krakow beat FC Twente in the other Group K game.
It was a cruel way to end a journey that still managed to take in 14 matches, but it was also a very difficult night for a goalkeeper playing his first senior game for Fulham.
Heads you lose: Fall nods home the equaliser to send Fulham out of the Europa League
Philippines No 1 Neil Etheridge, 21, made his debut in place of Mark Schwarzer, who is expected to miss at least six weeks with a spinal injury.
But, with England squad member David Stockdale already recalled from his loan spell at Ipswich Town, Etheridge's run in the first team looks unlikely to be extended to Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Bolton.
The goalkeeper was not, of course, solely responsible for Fulham's collapse after goals from Clint Dempsey and Kerim Frei had given them what seemed a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead. But his inexperience did not help and he looked devastated at the whistle.
The Fulham wall was poorly constructed for Hans Henrik Andreasen's 64th-minute free-kick, but the young keeper had little chance with Fall's equaliser after the substitute nipped in front of Aaron Hughes to convert Espen Ruud's cross and stun Craven Cottage.
As the hosts' manager Martin Jol admitted, his side simply did not have 'enough cleverness or experience to keep the ball in their half '.
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The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments
Year | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Spain | Germany | Russia / Turkey |
2004 | Greece | Portugal | Netherlands / Czech Republic |
2000 | France | Italy | Netherlands / Portugal |
1996 | Germany | Czech Republic | France / England |
1992 | Denmark | Germany | Netherlands / Sweden |
1988 | Netherlands | Soviet Union | Italy / West Germany |
1984 | France | Spain | Denmark / Portugal |
1980 | West Germany | Belgium | Czechoslovakia |
1976 | Czechoslovakia | West Germany | Netherlands |
1972 | West Germany | Soviet Union | Belgium |
1968 | Italy | Yugoslavia | England |
1964 | Spain | Soviet Union | Hungary |
1960 | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Czechoslovakia |