Fulham faced a narrow defeat against Chelsea in the SW6 derby, with the visitors coming from behind to secure a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage. Despite a promising start by Fulham, Chelsea’s second-half resurgence led to their triumph.
Fulham initially took the lead through Alex Iwobi’s goal in the 20th minute, assisted by Ryan Sessegnon. However, Chelsea responded with goals from George and Neto, sealing their comeback in the closing stages of the match.
Marco Silva said: “Very difficult moment for us. Our first half was very good. The way we controlled them and the way we played in our way. We connected well with our attacking players and the balance between both things were very, very good and because of that we were winning and were the best team in the first half.”
Silva continued: “Unfortunately, we spoke about it at half-time, we had to start the second half really well. We weren’t able to build from the back anymore, it was the moment for us to make better decisions and of course without the ball for long periods was difficult for us. They didn’t have chances, but they arrived in more dangerous areas than us in the second half. It’s a harsh result for us because of the way we played in the first half but we should have kept the same quality but unfortunately it was not possible for us.”
Fulham’s early dominance was evident as they tested Chelsea’s defense with several attempts. However, Chelsea’s tactical changes at halftime, introducing Jadon Sancho and Malo Gusto, shifted the momentum in their favor. Chelsea’s persistence paid off when George equalized with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 83rd minute. Neto then clinched the victory with a stoppage-time goal, volleying into the net after receiving a deft pass from Enzo Fernandez.
The match was officiated by referee Anthony Taylor, with an attendance of 27,712 fans witnessing the thrilling encounter. Fulham will look to bounce back in their upcoming fixture against Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium.
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