Fulham were denied a historic double over Chelsea after a dramatic late turnaround saw the visitors snatch a 2–1 victory at Craven Cottage, despite a spirited first-half display from Marco Silva’s men.
Alex Iwobi’s well-taken goal midway through the first half had the Cottage bouncing and dreams stirring. It was no more than Fulham deserved after an energetic opening 45 minutes in which they pressed intelligently, controlled the tempo, and outplayed their west London rivals.
Kenny Tete, back in the starting XI for the first time since December, made an immediate impact, delivering a cross that nearly led to a Pereira goal — only for the move to be ruled out for offside. Fulham were undeterred and got their reward in the 20th minute, as Ryan Sessegnon pounced on a loose Reece James touch before squaring for Iwobi, who swept the ball past Robert Sánchez with composure.
Fulham’s control could have been extended had Joachim Andersen connected with a free header from a corner, while Andreas Pereira also threatened with his deliveries. At the other end, Bernd Leno stood firm, comfortably dealing with Chelsea’s few half-chances.
But the second half told a different story. Chelsea introduced Jadon Sancho and Malo Gusto, tipping the momentum their way. Fulham’s fluidity faded, and their inability to retain possession allowed the visitors to build pressure.
Despite Leno’s best efforts — including sharp saves from Neto and Sancho — Fulham’s resistance was finally broken in the 83rd minute. Substitute Tyrique George found space on the edge of the box and fired low past Leno to equalise.
Fulham attempted to respond, but their legs were tiring and the composure was gone. Then, in the cruelest of twists, Pedro Neto volleyed home in stoppage-time after a neat layoff from Enzo Fernández, giving Chelsea a scarcely deserved win and denying Fulham what had looked a likely point.
Silva: “Harsh result that doesn’t reflect our first-half dominance”
Speaking after the match, a clearly frustrated Marco Silva praised his side’s first-half performance but lamented a lack of composure and mobility in the second.
“We controlled the first half and we were clearly the best team,” Silva insisted. “We mixed it well, short and long, played through their pressure. But we lacked ruthlessness — we should’ve gone in with a bigger lead.”
He was candid about the drop-off after the break: “We weren’t able to build the same way, we lost the ball too easily. Some players were tired, and we didn’t make the right decisions under pressure.”
Despite the defeat, Silva called for calm and balance in the reaction: “There are still 15 points to play for. Yes, this hurts, but the fans should be proud of how we played that first half. There are positives to build on.”
Missing Muniz, Missing Sharpness
Rodrigo Muniz’s absence — due to a knock suffered at Bournemouth — was felt, with Raúl Jiménez working hard but unable to offer the same hold-up play or penalty-box presence. Fulham’s attacking threat dwindled as the game wore on, particularly after Andreas Pereira faded.
Statline Snapshot
- Possession: Fulham 38% – 62% Chelsea
- Shots: Fulham 6 – 13 Chelsea
- Shots on target: Fulham 1 – 6 Chelsea
- Fouls committed: Fulham 13 – 9 Chelsea
- Corners: Fulham 6 – 4 Chelsea
- Cards: Fulham 1Y / 0R – Chelsea 3Y / 0R
Looking Ahead
Back-to-back defeats have been a setback, but Fulham remain well placed in the table. With Muniz expected to return soon and Silva’s tactical clarity on show in spells, the Whites must now dust themselves off and prepare for the next challenge — still in the hunt for a top-half finish and pride to play for.
For now, though, it’s Chelsea with the derby bragging rights. Just.
