In a breathtaking contest at Craven Cottage, Fulham secured a vital home win against Brighton and Hove in matchday 23 of the Premier League. The match had fans on the edge of their seats as Fulham staged an impressive comeback after falling behind early on.
Brighton’s Yasin Ayari opened the scoring in the 27th minute, putting the hosts under pressure. However, it was Fulham’s Samuel Chukwueze who sparked the revival in the second half, netting an equalizer in the 72nd minute following a well-placed cross from Joachim Andersen, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The decisive moment came just before the final whistle, when Fulham was awarded a free kick in the 90th minute. The ball was expertly curled into the box, allowing Fulham to clinch a 2-1 lead, sealing their dramatic turnaround.
Harry Wilson was the standout player of the match, contributing one goal, completing 21 successful passes, and attempting four shots on target. Meanwhile, Joachim Andersen played a pivotal role as a defender, making crucial interventions by clearing five dangerous balls from his area.
Head coach Marco Saraiva da Silva lined up Fulham in a 4-5-1 formation, with Bernd Leno guarding the goal; Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, and Antonee Robinson forming the defensive line; Alex Iwobi, Sander Berge, Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe, and Kevin Santos operating in midfield; and Raúl Jiménez leading the attack.
Brighton, directed by Fabian Hürzeler, also opted for a 4-5-1 formation, with Bart Verbruggen in goal; Ferdi Kadioglu, Jan van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, and Olivier Boscagli in defense; Carlos Baleba, Pascal Gross, Diego Gómez, Yasin Ayari, and Kaoru Mitoma in midfield; and Danny Welbeck upfront.
The match was officiated by Michael Oliver, who ensured a well-controlled game.
Looking ahead, Fulham will travel to face Manchester United in their next fixture, while Brighton will host Everton. This victory brings Fulham’s points total to 34, securing them 7th place in the league, while Brighton remains with 30 points, sitting in 12th.
Substitutions for Fulham
58’ 2T – Antonee Robinson out for Ryan Sessegnon; Kevin Santos out for Samuel Chukwueze
68’ 2T – Emile Smith Rowe out for Thomas Cairney
Yellow Card for Fulham:
20’ 2T – Sander Berge (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Brighton and Hove
79’ 2T – Carlos Baleba out for James Milner
80’ 2T – Diego Gómez out for Yankuba Minteh
87’ 2T – Olivier Boscagli out for Maxim De Cuyper; Pascal Gross out for Georginio Rutter; Danny Welbeck out for Charalampos Kostoulas; Alex Iwobi out for Joshua King
Yellow Card for Brighton and Hove:
45’ 2T – Charalampos Kostoulas (Unsporting behavior)