Football

Fulham stroll to 3-0 win over Brighton

March 3, 2024 5:07 am

Brighton & Hove Albion's Jan Paul van Hecke in action with Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz Action [Source: Reuters]

Fulham eased to a 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, winning back-to back Premier League games for only the second time this season.

Fulham, who beat Manchester United last weekend, remain 12th in the standings and are now on 35 points, four points behind Brighton who dropped from seventh to ninth.

The home side were 2-0 up at halftime with Harry Wilson opening the scoring in the 21st minute and Rodrigo Muniz doubling their lead 11 minutes later and Fulham wrapped up the win with a stoppage time goal from Adama Traore.

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Brighton had most of the first half possession but it was Fulham who looked the more dangerous as the visitors struggled to create any chances and their manager Roberto De Zerbi cut a frustrated figure on the bench.

A bad week for Brighton, after their FA Cup exit midweek at Wolverhampton Wanderers, was compounded by their sterile possession and lack of cutting edge up front as they failed to test Fulham’s keeper in the opening half.

Fulham opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Muniz won a header between two Brighton players and the ball fell to Wilson who cut into the area, created space for himself and curled his shot into the far top corner.

Muniz and Wilson combined again 11 minutes later, this time Wilson the provider, floating a dangerous ball into the area from the right and Muniz got ahead of Adam Webster to steer his header past Jason Steele in the Brighton goal.

Muniz now has five Premier League goals this season, all coming in the last five games.

Evan Ferguson, now without a goal in 13 league games, had two great chances in the second half, put through with just the goalkeeper to beat on both occasions, but he pulled the first one wide from close range and the second was hit straight at Bernd Leno.

Fulham could have extended their lead earlier, and Andreas Pereira wasted an opportunity when he took too long on the ball in the Brighton area giving Lewis Dunk and the keeper time to recover before putting his shot wide of the far post.

With Brighton chasing a late goal, Fulham broke and Bobby Decordova-Reid put Traore through with a perfect pass and the substitute hit a low shot to seal the win to the delight of a packed Craven Cottage.