 Zamora has scored 17 goals for Fulham this season |
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora is rated as a "major doubt" for Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Hamburg because of an Achilles injury.
The 29-year-old will undergo a late fitness test on the problem, sustained in the first leg goalless draw.
But boss Roy Hodgson is preparing for the worst after Zamora, who missed the weekend Premier League defeat at Everton, sat out training on Wednesday.
Clint Dempsey, himself just back from injury, could deputise.
The American forward replaced Zamora in the first-leg draw in Germany, though he resorted to midfield at Goodison Park on Sunday behind Erik Nevland and Stefano Okaka who were paired in attack.
"Bobby is having treatment and I'm hoping he'll be ready for Thursday, but I'm not confident," Hodgson told the club's website.
The better news for Hodgson is that his decision to rest a number of first-teamers against Everton should ensure his side is fresh for the visit of Hamburg.
Paul Konchesky, Aaron Hughes, Danny Murphy, Brede Hangeland, Dickson Etuhu, Damien Duff, Zoltan Gera and Simon Davies were all fit but left out of the matchday squad and should return on Thursday.
Hodgson expecting late decision on Zamora
Chris Baird, however, is suspended, so John Pantsil is set to come into the side after a knee problem, while Okaka and Nicky Shorey are ineligible.
Fulham are on the brink of reaching their first European final, and face a Hamburg side that fired coach Bruno Labbadia on Monday after a 5-1 Bundesliga loss at Hoffenheim the day before.
That defeat came on the back of a run that had seen Hamburg secure just four wins in 14 matches and, as a result, assistant coach Ricardo Moniz has been put in temporary charge.
Moniz himself has injury worries of his own with striker Tunay Torun ruled out of the match with a ligament injury.
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However, Hodgson is steeling his team for a tough task, saying: "When you reach a game of this level, with the experience and quality of the Hamburg players, they will be capable of producing a very good performance, whomever the manager may be.
"They have played many, many games together, the assistant has stepped in, so there will not be any vast change of philosophy.
"I am expecting the same type of Hamburg we faced a week ago."
And the 62-year-old has described his team's run in the competition and as "an outstanding achievement".
The Cottagers' European adventure has taken them from a third qualifying-round tie against FK Vetra of Lithuania, through the group stages against Roma to superb performances against favourites Shakhtar Donetsk and Italian giants Juventus.
| We are all determined not to fail at this stage and to take the ultimate step to the final, rather than go out as gallant losers Fulham boss Roy Hodgson |
Hodgson has also managed to keep Fulham on track in the Premier League, currently safe in 12th place, and the manager admitted: "For a club like ours, in terms of squad size, there was concern we would not be able to compete on both fronts.
"I am really delighted we have been able to prove people wrong and in the bargain have beaten some very good teams along the way to this semi-final.
"It is an outstanding achievement, and I take a lot of pride in that.
"But we are all determined not to fail at this stage and to take the ultimate step to the final, rather than go out as gallant losers."
Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Konchesky, Hangeland, Pantsil, Hughes, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Davies, Zamora, Dempsey, Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Greening, Dikgacoi, Smalling, Kelly, Elm.
