Match Report
Fulham (2) 3-0 (0) Brighton
Premier League Match Day 27 23_24 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 2nd March 2024, KO: 15:00
Referee:
Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
|
Fulham produced a brilliant performance to see off Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.
Excellent centre forward play from Rodrigo Muniz saw him tee up Harry Wilson for a lovely curling opener, and Wilson returned the favour with a perfect cross for his teammate to head home for 2-0.
We had to wait until stoppage time at the end of the second half for another goal, but it was worth the wait as Adama Traoré opened his account for the Club in front of a jubilant Hammersmith End.
Unsurprisingly following the team’s heroics in Manchester a week earlier, Marco Silva named an unchanged XI, though he was able to name Willian amongst the substitutes after the veteran had missed the Old Trafford win with a minor injury.
After a quiet start in which the only incidents of note were shots saved at either end from Julio Enciso and Harrison Reed, the Whites went in front with a trademark Wilson finish as we approached the midway point of the half.
A back-to-front move looked to have reached a dead-end when Adam Webster took control of possession, but brilliant pressing from Muniz saw him head the ball wide to his teammate – a brave nod as he took an absolute clattering for his efforts. Wilson then worked a yard of space on his left foot and curled pristinely inside the far post.
Albion threatened a quick response though some nimble Adam Lallana footwork, but his finish at the end of it landed in the Hammy End.
After being beautifully set up by Muniz, Wilson responded in kind for our second of the afternoon. Once again, Brighton allowed Wilson time on his left, and his in-swinging cross was perfect for Muniz to attack, planting an unstoppable header beyond Jason Steele.
On the back of a couple of half-time substitutions, Brighton began the second 45 sharply, winning a corner inside the first minute. From that, Lewis Dunk directed a downwards header on target, but Bernd Leno was alert to smother.
The Seagulls appeared to have learnt their lesson when it came to Wilson when he broke through on goal, keeping him on his right peg this time, causing him to drag his shot wide while running at pace.
Webster had struggled with Muniz’s physicality all afternoon, and was bullied off the ball again by the Fulham man in the 51st minute. He then squared to Wilson whose shot was blocked behind for a corner, from which Tosin headed wide.
A sloppy Brighton pass then sent Andreas Pereira in on goal. He rounded Steele but then the angle was against him, and he ended up curling wide after regaining his sight of goal.
Even Ferguson should have halved the deficit when he sprung the offside trap to get on the end of Lallana’s clever pass, but the onrushing Leno put him off and he stabbed well wide.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Brighton |
| Goals |
(2) 3 |
0 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Wilson 21 |
- |
|
Muniz 32 |
- |
|
Traore 91 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
12 |
15 |
| On target |
5 |
5 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
42% |
33% |
| Possession |
29% |
71% |
| Passes |
298 |
722 |
| Passes Success |
72% |
89% |
| Crosses |
0 |
0 |
| Crosses Success |
0% |
0% |
-->
| Corners |
2 |
6 |
| Tackles |
24 |
16 |
| Tackles Success |
54% |
75% |
| Saves |
5 |
2 |
| Fouls |
16 |
10 |
| Offsides |
2 |
4 |
| Yellows |
1 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Muniz had the better of the Albion backline again when he ran onto Timothy Castagne’s lovely ball over the top, but he could only find the side-netting with his shot.
We were handed another opportunity from the subsequent goal-kick when Steele passed straight to Wilson, but Andreas then hit his effort directly at the Brighton goalkeeper.
Good running down the left from Antonee Robinson saw him combine with Alex Iwobi who picked out Wilson in the middle. He surely would have netted with his first time strike, had it not been for some terrific defending from Dunk.
The away side were putting on plenty of pressure as they attempted to create a nervy finale, with substitutes Facundo Buonanotte and Ansu Fati hitting the post and drawing a save from Leno, respectively.
But it was two substitutes in black and white who had the final say. Bobby De Cordova-Reid – on his 200th Fulham appearance – tackled Pascal Gross 70 yards from goal and drove forward before slipping in Traoré to his right. He took a touch to compose himself before rolling across Steele to wrap up an excellent win for his side.
Fulham boss Marco Silva:
"They were great performances. Rodrigo [Muniz] is getting better and better.
"He's getting stronger which is really difficult for the defenders to deal with. We know that if we provide for him inside the box then he's really dangerous as well.
"We expected Brighton to play man on man across the pitch and to press us and we knew we had to play behind that pressure. To have a player like Rodrigo to link up our game and build our attack is really important.
"The way he's improving in all aspects of the game is really good for us and for him he's a happy boy as you'd expect and I think there's even more to come from him.
"I'm really happy because we deserved the three points at home with a clean sheet.
"To have back-to-back wins in the Premier League is really tough and we wanted to get back to winning ways after the Aston Villa match [2-1 defeat].
"We showed quality, commitment and desire to do the right things and that's positive.
"The first half was almost perfect I must say. They didn't create one chance and we were clinical of course with the goals that we scored.
"The second goal is almost the perfect team goal. The way we built from the goalkeeper to the last moment and myself as a manager that is something I'm proud of."
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi:
"I think we played without the energy. In the Premier League you need to push 100 per cent and you can't play with 50 or 60 per cent.
"I think we deserved to lose, we played without the right energy but it can be like this. To compete this season is tough [but we have to] do better than today.
"In football you have to play every game in every competition at the same level. I am working a lot on keeping the right energy and mentality in our work. It's a challenge every day for the club, for me, the players. But we are fighting and we have to show we deserve to play to keep at this level.
"Today we can't explain the game with possession, shots, chances to score. The game is easier than the result says. We didn't play well and Fulham played a good game - not an amazing game - but enough to win. We can play much better than we did today, but I know my players will react in the right way on Thursday."
Fulham : Leno, Castagne, Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson, Reed, Lukic (De Cordova-Reid 88), Wilson (Traore 84), Pereira (Cairney 69), Iwobi (Willian 69), Muniz (Broja 84)
Unused substitutes: Rodak, Tete, Ballo-Toure, Ream
Goals:
Wilson 21 ( Fulhamlead, albeit after a mix up at the back as Webster failed to deal with Bassey's simple long ball, with his weak header falling to Muniz, who nods it to Wilson in space on the right edge of the area - and the Wales forward then did brilliantly to beat Steele with a gorgeous curler from just inside the box.
FPL Assist: Muniz)
Muniz 32 (WHAT A GOAL! A wonderful flowing Fulham move sees the hosts double their lead as Reed and Pereira combine to find Wilson in space down the right and from the Welshman's inviting cross, there was the unmarked Muniz to power home their second from close range.
FPL Assist: Wilson)
Traore 90+1 (As we enter four minutes of in jury time, the Brighton defence again lose possession on halfway as Gross is caught on the ball, allowing Reid to feed Traore and the pacy sub buts clear, before finding the bottom corner with a low finish.
FPL Assist: Reid)
Booked: Bobby De Cordova-Reid (89,f)
Brighton : Steele, Veltman, Dunk (Gross 59), Webster, Lamptey (Adingra 45), Baleba (Moder 78), van Hecke, Estupinan, Lallana (Buonanotte 59), Enciso (Fati 45), Ferguson
Unused substitutes: Verbruggen, Julio, Welbeck, Barco
Booked: Baleba (08,f), Estupinan (57,f)
Referee:
Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
Attendance: 24,460
Fulham travel to Wolves next Saturday (kick-off 3pm).