Match Report
Fulham (0) 2-1 (1) Brighton and Hove Albion
Premier League Match Day 23 25_26 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 24th January 2026, KO: 15:00
Referee:
Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
|
Fulham winger Harry Wilson’s first free-kick goal for the Club earned Fulham a stoppage time win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Cottage on Saturday.
We had trailed at the break to Yasin Ayari’s well struck shot but rallied after the break, equalising through Samuel Chukwueze’s calm finish from Joachim Andersen’s unreal pass.
Danny Welbeck then had a goal disallowed by VAR following a tight offside call, paving the way for Wilson to grab the headlines once again when his stunning set-piece found the top corner in the second minute of added time.
Marco Silva made two changes to the team that began against Leeds United a week earlier. Saša Lukic injured his hamstring in that match and was replaced by the returning Alex Iwobi – his Nigeria teammates Calvin Bassey and Chukwueze were named amongst the substitutes – while Kevin came in for Ryan Sessegnon on the wing.
Kevin almost justified his Head Coach’s decision inside four minutes when a beautiful pirouette created space for a shooting opportunity from 20 yards, but his powerful effort cleared the bar.
That was the only attempt we witnessed inside the opening 19 minutes, though Brighton were fortunate that the ball didn’t drop to anyone in white when goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen smashed his clearance into Wilson after being sold short with a Lewis Dunk backpass.
We then had two openings in the space of as many minutes, but both Jorge Cuenca’s header and Wilson’s ripper went over.
Verbruggen was forced into his first save midway through the half when, following some intricate play from Wilson, Raúl Jiménez tiptoed away from a challenge before slamming a shot into the Dutch stopper.
The Whites had really upped the ante by this point and threatened again when Kevin did well to head Timothy Castagne’s deep cross back across goal to Raúl, whose shot on the spin was blocked.
It was therefore naturally disappointing when Albion went in front with their first shot of the game when Ayari smashed one in from just inside the box.
Bernd Leno might feel he could have done better with the effort from Ayari after getting hands to it, but he made amends soon after in denying Kaoru Mitoma, with Castagne then on hand to head Ferdi Kadioglu’s follow-up off the line.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Brighton |
| Goals |
(0) 2 |
1 (1) |
|
| Scorers |
Chukwueze 72 |
Ayari 28 |
| Scorers |
Wilson 90+2 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
12 |
13 |
| On target |
4 |
5 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
33% |
38% |
| Possession |
50% |
50% |
| Passes |
498 |
496 |
| Passes Success |
83% |
83% |
| Crosses |
18 |
26 |
| Crosses Success |
11% |
31% |
| Corners |
6 |
6 |
| Tackles |
8 |
9 |
| Tackles Success |
73% |
56% |
| Saves |
3 |
2 |
| Fouls |
10 |
6 |
| Offsides |
1 |
3 |
| Yellows |
1 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Fulham had struggled to find a rhythm after conceding but looked to rectify that quickly in the second half, Wilson drawing a save from Verbruggen two minutes in, although a deflection had taken most of the pace off.
Despite not seeing much of the ball since the restart, Brighton had two excellent chances to double their lead on the counter, but Mitoma couldn’t find Welbeck when shooting might have been the better option. And when he did pick him out after they recycled possession, the veteran striker volleyed wide.
They would rue those misses as Fulham restored parity with our next attack. It was a stunning pass over the top from Andersen to pick out the run of Chukwueze – not long on for Kevin – and he coolly opened his body up to place one in the far corner.
The Seagulls thought they had immediately restored their lead when Mitoma slipped Welbeck in who finished well, but the veteran striker had strayed just offside.
Welbeck nearly had the last laugh with a powerful header from Olivier Boscagli’s left wing cross, but Leno showed superb reflexes to tip it over.
The match was on a knife edge, begging for someone to grab a winner, and our wizard duly obliged in stoppage time. After substitute Josh King had been felled 25 yards from goal, Wilson stepped up to thump a brilliant free-kick into the top left corner. Verbruggen got a hand to it, but it was too venomous and the Cottage erupted as we turned zero points into three.
Fulham boss Marco Silva:
"A big win for us. Probably a fair result should be a draw, in my opinion. I think it's harsh for them to lose the game the way they lost.
"It was like that in some moments where we have deserved much more from games and we didn't. This afternoon, it came in our favour, and we won a big three points for it."
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson (Sessegnon 59), Iwobi (King 88), Berge, Wilson, Smith Rowe (Cairney 69), Kevin (Chukwueze 59), Jimenez
Unused substitutes: Bassey, Reed, Kusi-Asare, Lecomte, Diop
Goals:
Samuel Chukwueze 72 (CHUKWUEZE SLOTS HOME!
Andersen sends a superb long pass in down the right and Chukwueze bursts in behind.
He gets into the box and from a tight angle, opens up his body and slots in!)
Harry Wilson 90+2 (WILSON HAS WON IT WITH A BRILLIANT FREE-KICK!
Fulham's magic man delivers again as he sends his free-kick from 25 yards to Verbruggen's side and the goalkeeper can't keep it out.
Verbruggen won't be happy with that, he thought Wilson was going to send it over the wall.)
Yellow Card: Sander Berge (f,66),
Brighton and Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Kadioglu, van Hecke, Dunk, Boscagli (De Cuyper 88), Ayari, Baleba (Milner 81), GroB (Rutter 88), Gomez (Minteh 81), Welbeck (Kostoulas 88), Mitoma
Unused substitutes: Hinshelwood, Steele, Veltman, Coppola
Goals:
Ayari 28 (AYARI WITH A STUNNER AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY!
Where did that come from?
Ayari drives into the box from the left, Fulham give him too much space and he unleashes a rocket which rises high into the net!
Leno got his hands on it but couldn't keep it out.
Fulham have had the better of the first half yet find themselves behind. That was Brighton's first shot!)
Yellow Card: Kostoulas (f,90+1),
Referee:
Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Attendance: 27,236
Fulham 2-1 Brighton highlights
Fulham are next in action against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday 1st of February at 14.00.