Match Report Fulham (0) 0-3 (1) Brentford Premier League Match Day 02 23/24 at Craven Cottage Saturday 19th August 2023    KO: 15:00 Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire)

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa struck again to earn Brentford a 3-0 victory over 10-player Fulham, who saw defender Tim Ream sent off.

Wissa and Mbeumo scored in the Bees' 2-2 draw with Tottenham on the opening day of the Premier League season and shone once more filling in for the suspended Ivan Toney.

A mistake by Fulham centre-back Issa Diop allowed Wissa to score a minute before half-time in what was a tight first half at Craven Cottage.

The second period was much more eventful with Ream shown a second yellow card for fouling Wissa in the box and Mbeumo converted the spot-kick before scoring his second with a tap-in during added time.

A tight first period was dominated by nearly moments until Diop's mistake a minute before the break defined the half.

The visitors had gone close moments earlier when Mbeumo fired across goal and Wissa's scuffed effort looked to be heading in until Antonee Robinson cleared the ball a yard from the goalline.

Wissa wasn't to be denied long though. Diop's attempted pass back to goalkeeper Bernd Leno came off the centre-back's toe, allowing the striker in on goal. He still had Leno to beat, rounding him and slotting into an empty net.

Fulham nearly levelled shortly after the interval as Bobby Decordova-Reid's left-footed effort from the edge of the box came back off the crossbar.

Leno then tipped over Mathias Jensen's volley before the big talking point of the match. Wissa missed his kick as he tried to shoot at goal and went to ground under pressure from Ream.

The centre-back, booked in first-half added time, was shown a second yellow card and Mbeumo cooly rolled the penalty in off the left post.

Brentford were thoroughly in control from then on, adding some gloss to the scoreline in injury time when substitute Kristoffer Ajer crossed for Mbeumo to score with a simple tap-in.

Fulham manager Marco Silva to Sky Sports:
"Many things [went wrong] not just one to be honest. Tight game as you'd expect. They deserved three points. One or two moments were punished. It was a really balanced first half, not many chances. We had moments, so did they.

"Almost at the end of the first half they scored and that had a huge impact. We started the second half better. We could have equalised."

On the penalty and red card against Tim Ream: "Looking at the moment it's really difficult. I didn't see anything there. It's the new Premier League we have to get used to it. Any time you don't have your hands in your pocket it's a yellow card for the manager. Any time a player moves in the direction of the referee there will be a yellow card.

"We'll have over 200 yellows in the first 10 weeks. There are new rules and we have to get used to it. The Premier League is totally different now to last season or the season before or 20 years ago. We have to adapt. It's difficult to understand.

"Everyone wants 11 vs 11. In this way, it will be difficult. We have to adapt for this new Premier League we're facing. I didn't see anything. We were surprised by the penalty and red card. The game was finished from that moment. I think everyone should be surprised by that situation. Our players couldn't believe it.

"They didn't see a clear and obvious error. Tim tried to go for the ball. He didn't try to take him as well. He doesn't do anything. It's not the referee's fault we lost the game, congratulations to Brentford. Clear not penalty.

"We lost in that moment, the game was finished. We were fighting at 1-0. That moment decides the game. It was an error from the referee and the VAR had the same opinion."

Brentford boss Thomas Frank to Sky Sports:
"Such a good day for the fans. Local derby and we won. Very pleased for that. The first half was very even, not too much either way. Fulham are a good side. We were very dangerous second half. At 2-0, 11 against 10, it should be game over and it was game over."

On the penalty: "Big moment. We were the better side at that stage so it was more than likely we'd score. For me it's a penalty. He's in front of Ream and there's clear contact."

On Wissa playing centrally: "I'm very pleased with him. His goal is not as easy as it looks. He has to stay composed. His link-up play was really good. He could have scored one more goal.

"I prefer to keep Ivan (Toney) of course but we were quite confident that Wissa and Mbeumo will provide us goals. So will Lewis-Potter and Schade. That's why we haven't brought in another striker.

"Very pleased with that clean sheet, so important for the team and Flekken and Collins."

Fulham's next game is away to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday - kick-off 3pm.

Marco Silva's side then host Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday August 29 - kick-off 7.45pm.



Fulham : Leno, Tete (Muniz 86), Diop, Ream, Robinson, Reed (Bassey 67), Lukic, Pereira (Willian 68), Wilson, Jimenez (Traore 86), De Cordova-Reid (Palhinha 67)

Unused substitutes: Rodak, Cairney, Mbabu, Vinicius

Booked: Ream (45+3,f), Palhinha (85,f)

Red Card: Ream (64,f,2nd yel)

Brentford : Flekken, Hickey (Roerslev 78), Collins, Pinnock, Henry, Janelt, Nørgaard (Damsgaard 79), Jensen, Mbeumo, Wissa (Dasilva 79'(Ajer 89)), Schade (Lewis-Potter 71)

Unused substitutes: Zanka, Onyeka, Ajer, Strakosha, Yarmolyuk

Goals:
Wissa 44 (The Fulham centre-back Diop tries to play the ball back to Leno but gets it all wrong. It allows Wissa in on goal although he still has a lot to do. Leno comes out to close him down and the striker goes round him before slotting into an empty net.)
Mbeumo 66 (Penalty after Ref gives foul against Ream.)
Mbeumo 90+2 (The perfect away display from Brentford, who were home and dry before now, but are enjoying adding some gloss to the scoreline. Ajer links with Henry, and the pace on the cross takes Leno out of the game. Who is there to capitalise? It's of course Mbeumo, who side-foots into an empty net. FPL assist: Ajer)

Booked: Hickey (40,f), Henry (61,tw)

Referee: Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire)

Attendance: N/A