Match Report
Fulham (1) 2-3 (2) Chelsea
Premiership Match Day 01 26/27 at Craven Cottage
Monday 24th August 2026 KO: 20:00
Referee:
John Brooks (Leicestershire)
Live on Sky Sports
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Fulham fell just short in a pulsating Monday night derby to open the season.
Goals from Josh King and Gonzalo García weren’t quite enough to hold off the visitors, but Álvaro Arbeloa’s side put in a performance that will leave supporters excited for more.
The Cottage turned to a cauldron pre-match, welcoming the new manager and his players with defeaning support. However, it took just 30 seconds for the visitors to make their mark on the evening; João Pedro latched onto a Cole Palmer through ball and chipped Bernd Leno.
The early blow hadn’t thwarted any enthusiasm though, with Fulham persisting with a high press and the Cottage crowd receptive to their side’s effort.
And that persistence paid off. Almost a year on from the debacle at Stamford Bridge, King got his rightful goal against our local rivals. After testing the ‘keeper a few minutes prior, he lashed home an effort to beat Robert Sanchez at his near post and level the score.
The visitors did offer a warning through Romeo Lavia following a corner that dropped kindly, but Leno was well-placed to stop the snapshot.
They retook the lead with five minutes left of the half. Debutants Maxence Lacroix and Morgan Rogers combined to see the latter slam the ball into an empty net, much against the run of play.
Their lead was extended just minutes into the second half. Sanchez played the ball long and Pedro raced in behind, eventually laying it on for Palmer to finish.
Fulham were not going to down without a fight. Jorge Cuenca played a terrific diagonal ball to Timothy Castagne in the box who had an effort saved, but Gonzalo was there to latch on to the rebound to bring the deficit back to just one.
A flurry of changes came as the second half went on. Fulham thought they had equalised when Antonee Robinson raced in behind and attempted to lob the stranded Sanchez, but it bounced just wide.
On the night it was defeat, but the performance offered a lot of promise and the Hammersmith End stayed on to applaud Arebloa’s side. Next up is the visit of AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup on Thursday night.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Bassey, Cuenca, Robinson (Rodrigo Muniz 82), Berge (Sessegnon 73), Iwobi, Bobb (Charles 67), King, Palacios (Kevin 73), García
Unused substitutes: Tete, Reed, Lecomte, Smith Rowe, De Fougerolles
Goals:
Josh King 23 (KING LEVELS FOR FULHAM! Oh my days, Sanchez will not want to see that back, it's poor goalkeeping. King plays a one-two with Castagne, and gets to the right of the penalty area. He hits it hard, and he hits it clean, but it's pretty much in the centre of the goal. Sanchez simply has to do better. Fulham don't care, though, they're back level at 1-1!)
Gonzalo García 54 (FULHAM ARE BACK IN THIS! Chelsea get undone by a long ball, and Castagne's shot is poorly parried again by Sanchez, and Garcia is there to nod over the line! It's another one the Chelsea keeper should do much better with. Fulham are still trailing 3-2 but they're right back in this thrilling derby!)
Yellow Card: Calvin Bassey (Sim,76), Tim Castagne (f,88),
Chelsea: Sánchez, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Gusto (Pedro Neto 76), James, Lavia (Fernández 65), Hato (Chavarría 65), Palmer (Estêvão 83), Rogers (Geovany Quenda 82), João Pedro
Unused substitutes: Barco, Gittens, Welbeck, Penders
Goals:
J Pedro 1(JOAO PEDRO GETS ALONSO OFF TO A FLIER! Well, that took about 31 seconds! Fulham launch a long ball forward, it's headed back where it came from by Lacroix. Palmer is alert to it, then quickly slides in Joao Pedro, who coolly lifts his effort over Leno! Chelsea lead 1-0 already!)
M Rogers 41 (! ROGERS IS OFF THE MARK FOR CHELSEA! Lacroix makes a marauding run forward and receives a throughball from Palmer. The centre-back shows lovely composure to cut it back into the danger zone, where Rogers takes a touch then drills into the back of the goal. Chelsea lead 2-1!)
C Palmer 49 (ALMER HAS THE GOAL HE DESERVES! Sanchez's long punt is flicked on, and Joao Pedro does brilliantly to hold it up. He then slips Palmer in on the left of the area, and he slots through the legs of Leno from a tight angle to make it 3-1 to Chelsea!)
Yellow Card: Colwill (f,05), Lavia (f,12), Reece James (f,75),
Referee:
John Brooks (Leicestershire)
Attendance: 27,461
Fulham are next in action in the League Cup and welcome AFC Wimbledon on Thursday 27th August at 20.00.