Fulham picked up a solid 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on a sunny afternoon at Craven Cottage to round off a productive pre-season on Saturday afternoon.
Raul Jimenez scored a delightful freekick in the 35th minute and it proved to be the only goal in a cagey encounter.
Marco Silva named a strong starting XI with our opening Premier League fixture of the 2025/26 campaign on the South Coast exactly one week away.
It was a glorious day on the banks of the Thames as the referee got the match under way. Not a cloud in the sky on a beautiful afternoon.
After early chances for both sides in the opening ten minutes the match petered out following an injury to a Frankfurt player. Shortly after the stoppage Fulham were forced into their first substitution after Ryan Sessegnon picked up a knock. Hopefully the replacement was merely precautionary following a solid return from the academy product last season.
It was Fulham who started turning the screw following a stop-start section of the encounter. Alex Iwobi, a constant outlet down the left flank tested Kevin Trapp with a low drive before the deadlock was broken in the 35th minute.
Jimenez, a dead ball specialist for Mexico produced a delightful freekick from just under 30 yards out to open the scoring. After claiming the set piece from a central position Raul lashed a wonderful right-footed drive into the back of the net past Trapp.
With confidence brewing Harry Wilson came close to doubling the lead in the 37th minute. Iwobi in acres on space thread an inch perfect ball through to the Welsh international piercing the Frankfurt back line. Trapp reacted well to rush off his line and smother a low shot from Harry.
Fulham consolidated in the second half and the match proceeded without incident until the 62nd minute. Josh King, who had been influential in the middle of the Fulham midfield produced some fine footwork to beat two defenders. After surging into the box, the England youth international appeared to be pushed to ground but the referee waved away any appeals.
In the 67th minute Fares Chaibi rifled a shot against the post for the visitors before Sander Berge tested Trapp once again a minute later with a right-footed effort from outside the box.
The final quarter of the match stagnated as Fulham sat back with Frankfurt lacking a cutting edge to trouble our back line and as the referee brought the match to a close Fulham remained untroubled and composed, the perfect ending to a near perfect pre-season.