Fulham’s nine-game unbeaten streak against Brighton & Hove Albion came to a crushing end on Saturday, as the Cottagers suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium. Alex Iwobi’s pinpoint assist had given Fulham a first-half lead, but Brighton struck back with a late penalty to snatch all three points.
The Nigeria international, who has been in scintillating form this season, delivered a perfectly weighted cross that Raul Jimenez controlled expertly on his chest before volleying home at the far post. However, Brighton responded just six minutes later through Jan Paul van Hecke, and despite Fulham’s best efforts, the hosts secured the winner in stoppage time through Joao Pedro’s penalty.
The defeat was a bitter pill for Fulham to swallow, particularly given their impressive recent record against Brighton. Marco Silva’s men remain ninth in the table, now five points behind Brighton, who climbed to sixth place and strengthened their push for Champions League qualification.
Despite the disappointing result, Iwobi continues to shine for Fulham, with his creative output reaching new heights. The 28-year-old has now contributed seven goals and four assists in 28 Premier League appearances this campaign, establishing himself as one of Silva’s most trusted players.
Fulham will look to bounce back from this setback as they continue their pursuit of European qualification. With Iwobi’s consistent performances likely to be crucial to their chances, the Cottagers will hope to put this defeat behind them and continue their impressive cup run when they face their FA Cup quarter-final tie next weekend.
The match against Brighton was a tightly contested affair, with both teams showing signs of fatigue in the first half after playing 120 minutes in their FA Cup quarter-final victories last Sunday. Fulham had impressively knocked out Manchester United, while Brighton overcame Newcastle United.
Brighton improved slightly after the break and had two goals ruled out for offside before eventually grabbing their dramatic winner in added time. Despite the defeat, Fulham can take heart from their performance and look forward to their next challenge.