Fulham midfielder Emile Smith Rowe marked his first Fulham appearance with a goal, though we were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Sevilla at Estadio Algarve on Monday night as reported for Fulham FC by Geoff Pruce.
Isaac Romero netted at the start and end of the first 45 to put the Spaniards in control of the match, but the introduction of Smith Rowe at half-time had a telling impact.
The midfielder needed less than seven minutes to net his first goal in black and white, stooping to connect firmly with his header from Antonee Robinson’s perfect cross.
Smith Rowe came as close as anyone to levelling matters when he drew a smart stop from goalkeeper Orjan Nyland, but in the end we could not find that second goal.
Marco Silva made 10 changes to the team that began the win over Benfica three days earlier, with Issa Diop the man to remain. Jorge Cuenca partnered him in defence, while fellow new arrival Smith Rowe was named on the bench.
With little more than a minute played, Sevilla went in front when the ball dropped kindly to Romero in the box, and he coolly side-footed beyond Steven Benda.
The game didn’t have the intensity of our previous match in Estadio Algarve, though Harry Wilson almost sparked it into life when a rogue clearance dropped to him in the 38th minute, but he curled just wide from 20 yards.
Four minutes later the boys produced the best move of the game, starting with a beautiful diagonal from Cuenca out to Timothy Castagne on the right flank. Following some link-up with Raúl Jimenez, the Belgian delivered a peach of a cross to Andreas Pereira, but he couldn’t quite keep his header down.
It was the Whites’ best spell of the game, making it all the more galling when Romero lashed in his second of the evening from the edge of the box as we approached the final seconds of normal time in the first half.
Smith Rowe was one of four changes made at the break, and within three minutes he had created a chance, making a swift interception before feeding Raúl, who fizzed one over with the outside of his boot.
Our latest arrival went one better in the 52nd minute, halving the deficit for his side with a clinical header. Another incisive pass from Cuenca started the move, with Smith Rowe cutely releasing fellow substitute Robinson down the left. Jedi’s cross was low and inviting, and the Fulham number 32 took full advantage with his diving header.
It was a fine second assist for Robinson in as many matches, and he went agonisingly close to the equaliser just after the hour mark. After winning a tough tackle in the box, he curled in a shot on his weaker right foot that bent an inch the wrong side of the far post.
Sevilla went straight up the other end and threatened through Chidera Ejuke, but Bernd Leno – who had replaced Benda at the interval – got down well.
The Robinson-Smith Rowe combination almost wreaked havoc again bang on 72 minutes, but this time the England international had his shot brilliantly saved by Nyland after meeting his teammate’s cutback.
We were piling the pressure on, with a Rodrigo Muniz swivel and power drive over the bar following soon after.
With 10 to play, a swift team move saw us swarm the Sevilla box. It was eventually worked to Adama Traore, who saw his shot blocked behind for a corner, from which Cuenca had his header saved.
The Whites deserved to be level for our second half efforts, and fashioned another opening in the 87th minute, but Muniz could only direct his header from Alex Iwobi’s inswinging cross into the arms of Nyland.
That proved to be the last chance of the game as it ended in defeat for the Whites, but there were some very promising moments once again as we continue to work towards the season opener at Old Trafford a week on Friday.
Fulham FC line up: Benda (Leno '46); Castagne (Tete 65'), Diop (Bassey 65'), Cuenca, Sessegnon (Robinson 46'); Reed (Lukic 65'), Pajaziti (Smith Rowe 46'), Andreas (Cairney 65'); Wilson (Adama 65'), Raul (Muniz 65'), Godo (Iwobi 46')
Unused subs: Borto, Araujo, Esenga, King, Stansfield,