Fulham triumphed over Sunderland with a slim 1-0 victory during matchday 12 of the Premier League at Craven Cottage. The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute when Raúl Jiménez found the back of the net, securing all three points for the home side.
Receiving a well-placed pass from Samuel Chukwueze, Jiménez executed a powerful shot, outsmarting the Sunderland goalkeeper to score the only goal of the game.
Jiménez was the standout player, contributing not only his goal but also four shots on target and completing 11 successful passes throughout the match.
Defensively, Joachim Andersen played a pivotal role, winning two aerial duels and clearing nine balls from the danger zone, helping to keep Sunderland at bay.
Fulham’s head coach, Marco Saraiva da Silva, employed a 4-5-1 formation with Bernd Leno in goal; a defensive line of Kenny Tete, Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey, and Ryan Sessegnon; and a midfield featuring Sander Berge, Alex Iwobi, Harry Wilson, Joshua King, and Kevin Santos, with Raúl Jiménez leading the attack.
Sunderland, managed by Regis Le Bris, opted for a 5-4-1 setup, placing Robin Roefs between the posts; Trai Hume, Nordi Mukiele, Daniel Ballard, Lutsharel Geertruida, and Reinildo Mandava anchoring the defense; and Bertrand Traoré, Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, and Enzo Le Fée in midfield, while Wilson Isidor spearheaded their offense.
Referee Darren England officiated the match.
Next up, Fulham will face Tottenham in their following match, while Sunderland is set to entertain Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light.
After this hard-fought contest, Fulham stands at 14 points, sitting 14th in the league table, while Sunderland remains in 6th place with 19 points.
Substitutions for Fulham
88’ 2T – Alex Iwobi was substituted for Harrison Reed
93’ 2T – Harry Wilson was replaced by Timothy Castagne
Yellow Cards for Fulham
47’ 2T Bernd Leno (Time-wasting), 48’ 2T Harry Wilson, 49’ 2T Raúl Jiménez (both for time-wasting)
Substitutions for Sunderland
62’ 2T – Bertrand Traoré was replaced by Chemsdine Talbi
63’ 2T – Wilson Isidor substituted for Brian Brobbey, Joshua King for Emile Smith Rowe, and Kevin Santos for Samuel Chukwueze
89’ 2T – Trai Hume was replaced by Eliezer Mayenda and Enzo Le Fée by Simon Adingra
Yellow Cards for Sunderland
31’ 1T Daniel Ballard (Unsporting behavior), 33’ 2T Reinildo Mandava (Unsporting behavior), and 42’ 2T Trai Hume (Unsporting behavior)