It was a day of triumph for Fulham as they secured a remarkable 5-0 victory against West Ham United. This win marked a significant milestone for the team, as they achieved a third consecutive Premier League (PL) home game victory for the first time since 2012. Additionally, Fulham netted three or more goals in a fourth successive league game, a feat they had not accomplished since 1961.
Prior to the match, West Ham had been in good form, winning three of their last four PL games. As expected, they started the game with great intensity and were unfortunate not to take an early lead when James Ward-Prowse’s powerful 35-yard free-kick was brilliantly saved by Fulham’s goalkeeper, Bernd Leno.
Fulham’s goalkeeper’s exceptional save provided his team with a platform to find the opening goal. In the first half, João Palhinha delivered a dangerous cross, which was skillfully headed home by Raúl Jiménez. Conceding the opener visibly affected West Ham’s confidence, and Fulham sensed an opportunity to extend their lead.
The Cottagers doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark. Alex Iwobi’s initial shot was saved, but Andreas Pereira reacted quickly to recycle the rebound, allowing Willian to fire the ball into the net from close range. Before the break, Fulham added a third goal through an unlikely source, as Tosin Adarabioyo scored his first club goal in over a year with a well-placed header.
Far from being satisfied with their lead, Fulham continued to dominate the game. Manager Marco Silva made a shrewd substitution at halftime, introducing Harry Wilson. The Welshman made an instant impact, cutting in from the right and curling a sensational shot into the top corner of the net.
By this point, the game was effectively over for West Ham. Despite their efforts to salvage some pride and give their fans something to cheer about, they struggled to break through Fulham’s determined defense. It was a disappointing afternoon for West Ham, especially for their manager David Moyes, who had been unbeaten in his last 13 PL head-to-head matches against Fulham.
Looking ahead, Moyes now faces the challenge of refocusing his team’s efforts for their crucial Europa League clash against Freiburg on Thursday. In contrast, Silva will have no such concerns as he basks in the glory of a flawless victory. Fulham’s Carlos Vinícius sealed the win with a fifth goal in the closing stages, propelling Fulham into the top half of the table at the expense of Chelsea.
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