Match Report
Fulham (0) 0-1 (0) Bournemouth
Premiership Match Day 36 25/26 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 9th May 2026 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Andy Madley (West Yorkshire)
|
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Bournemouth |
| Goals |
(0) 0 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
- |
Rayan 53 |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
14 |
10 |
| On target |
2 |
5 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
14% |
50% |
| Possession |
60% |
40% |
| Passes |
500 |
339 |
| Passes Success |
88% |
85% |
| Crosses |
28 |
9 |
| Crosses Success |
11% |
33% |
| Corners |
11 |
2 |
| Tackles |
12 |
8 |
| Tackles Success |
75% |
73% |
| Saves |
3 |
2 |
| Fouls |
12 |
21 |
| Offsides |
1 |
3 |
| Yellows |
4 |
2 |
| Reds |
1 |
1 |
| source: SkySports |
Fulham were edged out 1-0 by Bournemouth on an eventful afternoon at Craven Cottage.
Following a red card ladened end to the first half Rayan opened the scoring soon after the restart and it proved to be the difference in a tit for tat encounter.
Marco Silva made two changes to the side that had been defeated the previous week at Emirates Stadium.
Club captain Tom Cairney and Rodrigo Muniz returned to the starting XI in place of Harrison Reed and Raúl Jiménez respectively.
Summer had been in the air all morning in West London and, as the referee got the match under way, it was a balmy afternoon by the banks of the Thames.
The sights, smells and warmth perfectly captured the feeling of the season.
In the third minute, Fulham threatened for the first time.
A lovely lofted pass down the left flank released Antonee Robinson, who surged forward before squaring a neat ball into the path of Emile Smith Rowe seven yards from goal.
With the Cherries defenders scrambling, Smith Rowe’s effort was blocked behind for a corner.
The match soon settled into an even contest, with Bournemouth gradually working their way into the encounter.
The visitors’ intent was clear — draw Fulham forward, force overcommitment, and exploit the spaces on the counter-attack.
In the 29th minute, Fulham threatened once again, this time down the right flank.
Timothy Castagne was slipped through to the byline and, after picking out his man, fizzed a low cross into the path of Rodrigo Muniz.
The Brazilian striker connected cleanly with his header, but the effort flashed past the post and behind for a goal kick.
Just prior to half-time, the game swung in Fulham’s favour.
After some patient build-up play down the right wing, a low pass was worked out to Castagne, who was hugging the touchline.
After neatly knocking the ball forward, the Belgian full back was caught on the ankle by the studs of Ryan Christie. Although the challenge was initially punished with a yellow card for its recklessness, VAR intervened and upgraded it to a red.
Advantage Fulham.
Fulham quickly looked to press home that advantage, and minutes later Joachim Andersen saw his header cannon back off the crossbar.
However, the numerical advantage was wiped out just before the interval when Andersen himself was sent off in almost identical circumstances to Christie’s dismissal moments earlier.
A high boot once again prompted VAR to upgrade an initial yellow card to a red after the Danish defender lunged for a 50/50 ball just outside the Fulham box.
With both sides reduced to ten men, an eventful second half looked certain to follow.
The second half commenced in the open fashion you would expect from a match with the two teams reduced to ten men.
In the 51st minute the visitors came close to opening the scoring. Junior Kroupi connected nicely with a strike from outside the box.
With Bernd Leno beaten in the Fulham goal the shot cannoned off the bar and bounced clear.
Moments later the first goal did indeed come. After maintaining pressure in the Fulham half Rayan picked up the ball 25 yards out and unfurled a left-footed shot which rifled into the bottom corner.
A frantic start to the half culminating in a gaol.
In the 64th minute substitute Oscar Bobb fired a shot over the bar after neat link up as Fulham looked to work their way back into the encounter.
The pressure continued and in the 74th minute Kevin was probing.
A livewire after his introduction the Brazilian winger beat the defender fronting him and cut in from the left wing.
With memories of Old Trafford he looked to side-foot a shot beyond Djordje Petrovic in the Bournemouth net.
The goalkeeper was well positioned and parried the shot over the bar.
Despite some late pressure and Josh King hitting the underside of the bar in stoppage time, we were unable to grab a leveller and the Cherries returned to the South coast with the three points.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne (Kusi-Asare 83), Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Lukic, Cairney (King 76), Wilson (Bobb 62), Smith Rowe (Diop 45), Chukwueze (Kevin 62), Muniz
Unused substitutes: Tete, Reed, Berge, Lecomte
Yellow Card: Rodrigo Muniz (f,50), Sasa Lukic (dissent,59), Antonee Robinson (f,77), Josh King (f,82),
Red Card: Joachim Andersen (f,43)
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Smith, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Christie, Rayan (Brooks 79), Kroupi (Unal 79), Tavernier (Adli 78), Evanilson (Adams 43)
Unused substitutes: Gannon-Doak, Diakite, Kluivert,Toth, Mandas
Goals:
Rayan 83 (left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Adam Smith.)
Yellow Card: Scott (delaying the restart,65), Marcus Tavernier (90+5)
Red Card: Christie (f,43)
Referee:
Andy Madley (West Yorkshire)
Attendance: 27,626
Fulham are next in action against Wolves at Molineux Stadium on Sunday 17th of May 15.00. live on Sky Sports.