Match Report
Fulham (0) 1-0 (0) Luton Town
Premier League Match Day 05 23/24 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 16th September 2023 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Michael Salisbury (Lancashire)
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Fulham striker Carlos Vinicius scored after coming off the bench to give Fulham a 1-0 victory and inflict a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat on Luton.
Marco Silva earned a 50th win on his 100th game in charge of Fulham as they chalked up their first home three points of the season.
The hosts were frustrated for large periods at Craven Cottage by Luton, who came closest to scoring in the first half when Jacob Brown headed against a post.
But Fulham stayed patient as they dominated possession in the second half, eventually seeing Vinicius break the deadlock with a simple tap-in in the 65th minute, just three minutes after coming on.
Fulham dominated possession throughout the first half yet couldn't create any clearcut opportunities from open play. They only went close with Kenny Tete's glancing header at the near post from Andreas Pereira's corner.
Luton soaked up the pressure and then created their best chances within two minutes of each other. First, Carlton Morris volleyed wide when the ball dropped to him in the box and then Brown headed against the right-hand post from Issa Kabore's cross.
The visitors sparked Fulham into life at the start of the second half once Bernd Leno had saved Amari'i Bell's volley.
Joao Palhinha saw his header drop on the roof of the net before Vinicius stabbed home from close range after Thomas Kaminski parried Willian's cross into the path of the striker.
Willian then saw an effort of his own deflect behind before Vinicius was denied late on with Luton unable to find an equaliser.
Fulham's next game is a trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday - kick-off 3pm. Marco Silva's side then host Norwich in the Carabao Cup on September 27 - kick-off 7.45pm.
Fulham : Leno, Tete, Diop, Ream, Castagne, Reed (Iwobi 62), Palhinha, Pereira (Cairney 81), Wilson (De Cordova-Reid 81), Jimenez (Vinicius 62), Willian (Bassey 91)
Unused substitutes: Rodak, Ballo-Toure, Muniz, Francois
Goals:
Vinicius 65 (Willian's cross from the left is parried by Kaminski, who has to do better, and Vinicius is lurking in the six-yard box to stab the loose ball home. )
Booked: Castagne (40,f), Diop (44,f)
Luton Town: Kaminski, Kabore, Burke (Woodrow 82), Lockyer, Andersen, Bell, Lokonga (Mpanzu 75), Nakamba, Chong (Adebayo 75), Brown (Doughty 74), Morris (Ogbene 74)
Unused substitutes: Berry, Mengi, Krul, Giles
Booked: Chong (27,sim), Kaminski (37,tw)
Referee:
Michael Salisbury (Lancashire)
Attendance: 24,467