Match Report
Fulham (2) 2-0 (0) Bristol City
League Cup Round 02 25/26 at Craven Cottage
Wednesday 27th August 2025 KO: 19:45
Referee:
Lewis Smith (Lancashire)
Live on Sky+
|
Fulham’s Carabao Cup campaign got off to a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Bristol City at Craven Cottage.
Both goals arrived early on, with Raúl Jiménez at the centre of each. First he forced George Tanner to net an own goal as the pair raced to connect with Adama Traoré’s inviting cross.
And our number seven got himself on the scoresheet not long after, with a wonderful control and finish from a Harrison Reed corner.
Marco Silva made nine changes to the team that started against Manchester United, but it was a strong XI nonetheless. Ryan Sessegnon and Timothy Castagne were the two survivors from that draw, while there was a debut in goal for Benjamin Lecomte.
Fulham hit the target with a couple of half chances inside the opening five minutes, but neither Reed’s overhead kick nor Adama’s volley into the ground caused Joe Lumley much grief.
There was nothing the Robins goalkeeper could do about the opener soon after, though. Castagne scooped a ball down the right flank to Adama who held his man off before lofting a dangerous ball into the middle which Tanner bundled into his own net under pressure from Raúl.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Bristol City |
| Goals |
(2) 2 |
0 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Tanner og 08 |
- |
|
Jimenez 21 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
11 |
7 |
| On target |
4 |
0 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
36% |
0% |
| Possession |
58% |
42% |
| Passes Success |
91% |
86% |
| Corners |
3 |
8 |
| Tackles Success |
75% |
86% |
| Saves |
0 |
3 |
| Fouls |
7 |
5 |
| Yellows |
1 |
0 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Sinclair Armstrong had the visitors’ first sniff of goal when his pace threatened to get him in behind following a fast turnover in the middle of the park, but he lashed wildly off target at the near post.
Intricate linkup play between Tom Cairney and Emile Smith Rowe presenter the latter with a sighter on the edge of the box in the 20th minute, but three red shirts hurled themselves at his strike to deflect it behind for a corner.
From that, it was 2-0. Raúl may not have been credited with the first, but this one was definitely his as he took one touch to control Reed’s outswinging set-piece, and then smashed in a lovely snapshot on the turn.
The tie could have been dead and buried within a matter of seconds of the second half when Adama got real power into his arcing shot, but Lumley was able to get a firm palm on it to claw it out from the top corner.
Fulham’s comfortable lead meant the sting had been taken out of the game second half. While there was plenty of intent and positive play from both sides, there wasn’t another dangerous opening until the 72nd minute, when Reed made an important block to divert Anis Mehmeti’s rising drive.
At the other end, Alex Iwobi dragged a shot into the near post side-netting at the end of a slick Fulham move with 10 minutes remaining.
The Robins looked certain to half the deficit just as five added minutes were announced, as good running from Mark Sykes culminated in him pulling the ball across the face of goal, but nobody in a red shirt was there to tap in.
It was only in these closing stages that we’d really seen much urgency from the visitors, and they went closer still when Fally Mayulu cracked a crisp shot against the upright.
But Fulham’s clean sheet was to remain intact, as we went into the hat for Round Three.
Fulham boss Marco Silva on the 2-0 win over Bristol City in the second round of the Carabao Cup: "It was a better first half than second. It was important for us to start well, to be clean and ruthless.
"That's important in these type of games. It was also important to keep a clean sheet.
"When you are at home, or away, the motivation from teams from lower divisions is always high.
"It's important to get through. Five Premier League clubs are out. It is always a competition where many teams get surprised.
"We changed it in the second half and the game went in a little different way. We were brave and had the freedom to play. But in the end we could see how high the level is in the Premier League and how high Fulham's level is."
Fulham: Lecomte, Castagne (King 70), Diop, Cuenca, Sessegnon (Bassey 64), Reed, Cairney, Traore, Wilson (Iwobi 64), Smith Rowe (Lukic 87), Jimenez (Muniz 69)
Unused substitutes:Leno, Tete, Andersen, Berge
Goals:
Tanner og 08 (Bristol City's George Tanner forced into to netting an own goal as Jimenez and Tanner raced to connect with Adama Traoré’s inviting cross.)
Jimenez 21 (right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harrison Reed with a cross following a corner.)
Yellow Card: Castagne (f,39),
Bristol City: Lumley, Tanner, Dickie, Vyner, Hirakawa (Roberts 74), Knight, Bird (Randell 60), McCrorie (Sykes 45), Bell (Mayulu 60), Stokes (Mehmeti 14), Armstrong
Unused substitutes: Twine, Riis, Cornick, Thomas
Referee:
Lewis Smith (Lancashire)
Attendance: 11,749
Fulham are next in action at
12.30 next Saturday, 30th August, when they visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.