Aaron Loupalo-Bi’s late winner at Stoke City this afternoon secured Fulham under 21’s fifth league success from six matches.
The Whites had to ground their latest victory and persistence paid off for Loupalo-Bi who rattled home a finish at the near post after a driving run down the right flank from Chris Donnell. Fulham had to wait until three minutes from the end and summon resilience as well as courage.
The home side sided brightly and would have gone ahead when Chinonso Chibueze beat Alfie McNally in one of their first forays forward, but the assistant referee’s flag ruled out the goal. Fulham’s first opportunity came as Callum Osmand connected with a left wing cross from Jon Esenga, but the Welsh youth international’s volley went wide. Loupalo-Bi did well to create a shooting angle in a busy box but his shot was easily saved by Jack Bonham.
The young Whites began the second period on the front foot with a driving run from Chris Donnell setting up his midfield partner in Chibby Nwoko, whose venomous drive was deflected over the bar. Stoke midfielder Wiktor Gromek hit the bar from long-range
The first 15 minutes of the second-half was played almost entirely in Stoke’s half. The ball was worked out wide to Chris Donnell and he chopped inside two players before teeing up Chibby Nwoko, with his powerful strike deflecting over the bar.
Down the other end, McNally had his crossbar to thank as Wiktor Gromek rattled the woodwork from distance and it looked as if a tight contest would remain scoreless until four minutes from time. Donnell once again played a pivotal role along the right flank as the Australian under-20 international produced an inch-perfect cross to find Loupalo-Bi. The Fulham forward fired past substitute goalkeeper Alfie Brooks to lift Hayden Mullins’ men to third in the PL2 table – level on points with Liverpool and Manchester City.
STOKE CITY UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Bonham (Brooks 45); Mears, Giani, Anderson, Griffin; Lipsiuc, Gromek; Jeffers (Enabuele 76), Griffiths (Wilcox 90+2), Chibueze; Trialist (Adekoya 45). Subs (not used): Gyimah.
BOOKED: Mears, Griffin, Lipsiuc, Adekoya, Gromek.
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): McNally, Gofford, Essenga (de Jesus 59), Nsasi, Amissah’; Nwoko, Donell; Works (Olyott 71), Louplao-Bi (Park 88), Sekularac; Osmand (Gordon 59). Subs (not used): Underwood.
GOAL: Loupalo-Bi (86)
