Alex Iwobi's first-half goal secured a key 1-0 Premier League victory for Fulham over Hull City at Craven Cottage on Saturday. The win lifts Marco Silva's side to 16th in the league table with five points from their opening seven matches.
Iwobi struck in the 33rd minute, finishing first-time into the bottom corner after a neat lay-off from Sander Berge. The Nigerian international was later named Man of the Match for his decisive contribution. "I think we deserved the win today, we worked hard for it," Iwobi told FFCtv after the final whistle.
Defensive resolve
Goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis was instrumental in preserving the lead, making several important saves. He denied Josh King from a tight angle and later reacted brilliantly to stop a close-range effort from Iwobi himself. The Greek keeper had earlier spilled a free-kick, but Fulham's defence held firm under pressure. Iwobi also came close to creating a second goal, delivering a cross that Gonzalo Garcia headed onto the crossbar.
The three points are a welcome boost for a Fulham side that had previously dropped eight points from winning positions this season. Their recent form shows two wins, two draws and one loss from the last five games, a sequence that includes a 3-2 win at West Ham and a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. The victory moves them onto five points, now just one point behind their next opponents, Coventry City, who occupy 15th place.
Hull's offensive woes
For Hull, the defeat extends a difficult return to the top flight. They failed to register a single shot on target, the first time they have done so in a Premier League match since May 2017. They are now winless in their last five league games and have lost five consecutive head-to-head meetings with Fulham. Their struggles are reflected in the league table, where they remain in the relegation zone with only three points from seven matches.
Fulham now turn their attention to an away fixture against Coventry City next Saturday. Coventry currently sit one place above them in 15th, setting up a significant early-season clash. The squad will be looking to build on this defensive resilience, having conceded ten goals in seven league games so far.
More detail at fulhamfc.com
