By Kazeem Ugbodaga
In a sensational encounter at Craven Cottage, Fulham stunned high-flying Liverpool with a dramatic 3-2 victory, ensuring that the Reds dropped crucial points in their pursuit of the title.
Nigerian international Alex Iwobi played a starring role, scoring a memorable goal.
The action-packed clash kicked off with a contentious moment in the 5th minute when a Fulham forward was brought down in the box, but the referee waved away calls for a penalty, much to the frustration of the home crowd.
Liverpool took the lead in the 14th minute through a moment of brilliance from Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine midfielder picked up the ball from outside the box and unleashed a thunderous shot that crashed into the left post, giving Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno no chance. It was a stunning strike, putting the Reds 1-0 up early on.
However, Fulham responded in style just nine minutes later. Ryan Sessegnon was in the right place at the right time, pouncing on a rebound inside the box and smashing it past Caoimhin Kelleher to level the score at 1-1.
The equaliser sparked renewed energy from the home side, who were eager to make their mark.
Then came Iwobi’s moment of magic. In the 32nd minute, the former Everton star found space at the edge of the box and drilled a powerful shot that deflected off a defender, wrong-footing Kelleher and finding the back of the net to give Fulham a 2-1 lead.
The Nigerian’s goal sent the home crowd into raptures, as his precision and composure were key in securing the advantage.
The drama continued to unfold as Fulham extended their lead to 3-1 in the 37th minute. Rodrigo Muniz pounced on a loose ball in the box and calmly slotted it past Kelleher to put the game seemingly beyond Liverpool’s reach.
But Liverpool wasn’t done yet. Luis Diaz brought them back into the game in the 72nd minute with a clinical strike into the bottom left corner after receiving a perfect pass, making it 3-2.
The Reds pressed for an equaliser, but Fulham’s defence stood strong, and several Liverpool attacks were thwarted.
Liverpool had a golden opportunity in the 79th minute when Harvey Elliott unleashed a blistering shot from the edge of the box, only for the ball to crash against the crossbar in agonising fashion.
In the dying seconds of the match, Fulham’s goalkeeper Leno made a string of vital saves, including a crucial stop one minute into added time as Federico Chiesa’s follow-up shot was held comfortably by the keeper.
In the final moments of injury time, Elliott had one more chance to salvage a point for Liverpool. Lurking on the edge of the box, he struck a low shot towards the bottom left corner, but once again, Leno was there to make a breathtaking save, sealing Fulham’s historic 3-2 win.
Despite the narrow defeat, Liverpool remains at the top of the table, but this shocking loss will give them plenty to ponder as they look ahead to their next fixtures.
For Fulham, it’s a monumental win that boosts their confidence as they continue to impress in the Premier League.
Iwobi’s crucial contribution will no doubt be remembered for weeks to come, as the Nigerian forward continues to make his mark in English football.
