Brentford vs Fulham Report

Scorers: Mbeumo 22’, Wissa 43’; Jimenez 16’, Cairney 68’, Wilson 70’

Brentford’s hopes of securing European football took a major blow as Fulham came from behind to claim a 3-2 win at the Gtech Community Stadium. The result leaves the Cottagers just one point behind their west London rivals, with both sides still in contention for eighth place and a potential UEFA Conference League berth heading into the final day.

First Half – Momentum Shifts and Missed Chances

The game sparked into life early, with Yoane Wissa twice denied in quick succession – first by Bernd Leno and then by a defensive block – after Mikkel Damsgaard’s clever through ball. But it was Fulham who drew first blood in the 16th minute, when Raúl Jiménez climbed above Nathan Collins to head home from Adama Traoré’s looping deflected cross.

Brentford didn’t take long to hit back. Bryan Mbeumo, a constant threat down the right, equalised just minutes later with a sharp low finish into the bottom corner. The Bees then looked poised to take control of the match when Kevin Schade was felled by Joachim Andersen in the box. Mbeumo stepped up for the resulting penalty but saw his effort brilliantly saved by Leno – his first miss from the spot in Brentford colours.

Thomas Frank’s men didn’t have to wait long to edge in front, though. Michael Kayode’s long throw caused chaos in the Fulham box, and Christian Nørgaard’s header, with a crucial touch from Wissa on the line, sent the home fans into the break with a 2-1 lead.

Second Half – Fulham Turn the Tide

Despite leading at half-time, Brentford were all too aware of Fulham’s threat – the visitors had dropped a league-high 28 points from winning positions ahead of this match. But this time, it was the Cottagers who mounted the comeback.

After a spell of sustained pressure, substitute Tom Cairney levelled the scores with a well-directed header from another deflected delivery. Just three minutes later, Fulham turned the contest on its head as fellow substitute Harry Wilson fired a swerving strike past Mark Flekken from distance, catching Brentford cold.

Nørgaard nearly rescued a point late on with a fierce effort that Leno again dealt with smartly, but Fulham held firm to record an impressive comeback victory.

Conclusion – Top-Eight Race Heats Up

The result keeps Fulham’s faint European hopes alive and drags them within a point of Brentford heading into the final round of fixtures. For Thomas Frank’s men, the defeat halts a four-game winning streak and means their top-eight finish is far from assured – they could slip as low as 10th next weekend depending on other results.

A thrilling encounter that underlined the competitiveness of the Premier League’s mid-table European chase, the Gtech crowd will now anxiously await next week’s outcomes and Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League fate to determine their continental destiny.

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Brentford v Fulham, 2024/25 | Premier League