Jensen makes a point but holds little hope for World Cup place

Burnley 1 Fulham 1

Graham Hardcastle
Monday 14 December 2009 01:00 GMT
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Burnley's ever reliable goalkeeper Brian Jensen believes, no matter how well he plays, that he has little chance of breaking into Denmark's World Cup squad. The 34 year-old is behind the likes of Thomas Sorensen, Kim Christensen, Jesper Christiansen and Stephan Anderson for a trip to South Africa and feels he is also behind another Great Dane, who retired from the game in 2003.

"There's probably a bigger chance of [Peter] Schmeichel coming out of retirement than me playing for Denmark in the World Cup," he said.

Jensen has been in sparkling form over the last couple of seasons and was instrumental in ensuring Burnley gained a point against Roy Hodgson's in-form Fulham on Saturday. He saved well from Erik Nevland and the impressive Damien Duff in a first half which the visitors controlled.

Fulham could have had the game wrapped up by the time Bobby Zamora gave them a 50th-minute lead. Instead, Wade Elliott's right-foot volley 10 minutes later was enough to earn Burnley their 17th home point of the season.

Their home form will be put to the test on Wednesday when Arsenal visit, but they have happy memories of facing the Gunners on home soil after dumping Arsène Wenger's youngsters out at the quarter-final stage of the Carling Cup last December.

Fulham conclude their Europa League Group E campaign against Basel on Wednesday needing to win in Switzerland to qualify for the next stage. But with Manchester United visiting on Saturday, Hodgson will not be taking his strongest team. "Going through in the competition isn't of vital importance," he said. "We won't even be playing what we consider to be our best team, that's the team we will play against Manchester United."

Burnley (4-2-3-1): Jensen; Mears, Carlisle, Caldwel, Jordan; Bikey (McDonald, 76), Alexander; Elliott, Blake (Nugent, 57), Eagles (Guerrero, 86); Fletcher. Substitutes not used: Penny (gk), Kalvenes, Gudjonsson, Thompson.

Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky; Duff Baird, Greening, Dempsey; Nevland (Gera, 76), Zamora. Substitutes not used: Stockdale (gk), Murphy, Riise, Smalling, Elm, Dikgacoi.

Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).

Booked: Fulham Konchesky, Greening.

Man of the match: Duff.

Attendance: 18,397.

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