Joao Pedro’s contentious added-time penalty settled an even contest between two European contenders. Brighton and Hove Albion, who looked bereft after being hit for seven by Nottingham Forest in February, have now won six matches in a row and sit sixth in the Premier League table. Pedro, who won the spot-kick with a theatrical tumble over Harrison Reed’s leg after the Fulham substitute had stabbed at the ball, barely beat Bernd Leno’s dive with the decisive strike – but it was probably asking too much for the German goalkeeper to save a third penalty in six days. Marco Silva didn’t berate referee Sam Barrott for a soft award, but questioned how his players had a lost a lead created by a brilliant Raul Jimenez finish from Alex Iwobi’s cross within three minutes by gifting Jan Paul van Hecke oceans of time and space to head home a free-kick.
The spot-kick was generous but Albion were asking most of the questions by the end of an absorbing battle between two sides who have played themselves into continental contention through attractive football. Pedro’s artful embellishment of the merest contact created an opportunity to go down – the actions of ‘a clever striker,’ according a crestfallen visiting head coach. Silva, who has already been banned twice for venturing too trenchant an opinion about the standard of English officiating, opted for the safer ground of criticising his side’s poor game management, which handed Brighton a first Premier League win over Fulham and their fourth home league win a row in the top tier, something last achieved 44 years ago.
Silva switched formation from Fulham’s shoot-out success at Old Trafford, deploying Issa Diop as one of three centre halves, dropping Andreas Pereira into the central midfield role vacated by the suspended Sasa Lukic and giving Emile Smith Rowe a first start in a month. The ex-Arsenal midfielder had the first sight of goal when Timothy Castagne’s cross broke kindly at his feet, but Smith Rowe’s snapshot was deflected wide.
Albion worked Bernd Leno through the craft of Karou Mitoma and a snapshot from Pedro, but it was the visitors who hit the front ten minutes before the break. Iwobi galloped into space along the right flank and his deep cross found Jimenez at the back post. The Mexican magnificently chested the ball down, taking van Hecke and Jack Hinshelwood out of the game in an instant, and lashed in a left-footed strike before Bert Verbruggen could react.
But Fulham’s advantage was squandered within six minutes. Pereira conceded a tame free-kick and Fulham’s three centre backs stood and watched van Hecke run onto Yasin Ayari’s floated free-kick, with the centre back’s header looping over the stranded Bernd Leno and in off the far post. The home side carried on from way they left off before the interval with Joao Pedro screwing a shot wide after a wonderful one-two with Georginio Rutter and Mitoma seeing a goal ruled out because Yankuba Minteh had ventured offside from Pedro’s pass.
Fulham had openings too but the energetic Iwobi spurned the clearest of them, seeing a shot deflected wide when van Hecke threw himself into the way as the Nigerian international connected with a clever cut-back from the rapid Antonee Robinson. Silva shuffled his bench gradually, whilst Fabian Hürzeler went for broke. Danny Wellbeck badly misjudged a free header from Pedro’s cross and another substitute Simon Adingra saw a goal ruled out by a second offside flag, but Fulham failed to hold on after demonstrating their ambitions to try and win the game in five minutes of added time.
Referee Barrott had played beyond the indicated minimum of minutes when Pedro made the most of contact as Reed, unaware of the striker’s presence, sought to clear from close to the byline. The official pointed to the spot and, after prolonged Fulham protests that saw Joachim Andersen shown yellow, Joao Pedro squeezed his third goal in as many games past Leno’s dive after the goalkeeper had gone the right way. It felt unjust – but Fulham were the architects of their own demise on a sun-kissed spring afternoon on the south coast that ultimately saw Brighton creep closer to the Champions’ League places. The Whites have now dropped 22 points from winning positions, only bottom side Southampton have squandered more.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION (4-2-3-1): Verburggen; Hinshelwood, Estupiñán, van Hecke, Webster; Baleba (Wieffer 86), Ayari (Gomez 69); Mitoma (Adringra 86), Rutter (Welbeck 77), Minteh (March 76); Joao Pedro. Subs (not used): Rushworth, Cashin, Knight, Slater.
GOALS: van Hecke (41), Joao Pedro (90+8).
FULHAM (3-4-3): Leno; Andersen, Diop, Bassey; Castagne, A. Robinson, Berge, Pereira (Reed 82); Iwobi (R. Sessegnon 82), Smith Rowe (Willian 82); Jimenez (Muniz 69). Subs (not used): Benda, Cuenca, King, Cairney, Godo.
BOOKED: A. Robinson, Andersen.
REFEREE: Sam Barrott (Sheffield).
ATTENDANCE: 31,584.
Same old, same old. By the way, when does King get a game?
We are very inconsistent and that’s why we are finishing mid table !! When you looking at fixtures remaining, l can not see us winning too many games !! Hope,we can beat Palace and aWembley appearance !!
You know it’s a very strange thing when your captain is NOT the one arguing the rights or wrongs of a dodgy penalty decision but Joachim Andersen who gets carded for his vehemence.
There have been far too many instances in recent weeks where it has been Andersen geeing players up in the tunnel, pre-game, or in the centre circle before kick off.
It’s NEVER Robinson.
He’s just not captain material and, in games like this one, today, that’s when a captain is most needed; somebody who won’t tolerate anything less than 100%, barking instructions, urging greater effort from everyone.
We have NOBODY of that ilk in our team. Andersen is the closest thing we have to a real leader and, until, Silva recognises this, we will never find true consistency because too many of our players know that they can play poorly and get away with it.
Todd Boehly, Chairman of Chelsea FC, who has demonstrated, quite vividly, that he doesn’t know a great deal about “soccer”, did actually show an understanding of leadership when he said, recently, that “every great team has a superstar captain and Chelsea are searching for that player”.
Marco Silva PLEASE take note.
This is an utterly ridiculous rant. If Robinson had contested the award of the penalty in the manner that Andersen did today, he would have received a second yellow card and been suspended for next week. You don’t need a superstar captain, but you need several leaders. I would argue that the likes of Leno, Andersen, Berge, Iwobi and Jimenez lead by example. It seems strange to be digging out one of Fulham’s most consistent performers for a perceived lack of passion when berating a bad referee would have put his team’s chances of climbing the table in greater jeopardy after the softest of penalty awards.
Dear Chloe
Good on you for voicing your opinion-which I would never dream of criticising. This outlet is, after all, a place for ALL fans of Fulham FC to speak openly about the team we love.
Kind regards
I do believe Andersen will be our captain next season. He has all the qualities but is a new signing. Perhaps Silva thinks it would be a bit disrespectful to the longer serving players to give the captaincy to Andersen at this stage?
Bit harsh Charles , Robinson has looked bit under par lately. But had a great season he’s only human. Yes we were not at our best yesterday against a good side , still feel the pen was a little harsh seen worst tackles not given. As for Silva he’s done well since he’s been and manager could be a few big clubs trying to get him . Sessegnon maybe could of played, but only played once on right to help us out and did well , has started at left back most cup games this season and done and played wing back in premiership and scored. Silva looking after him after not had much football at Spurs and injuries which Ryan said himself. Feel we’re see the best of him and Smith Rowe after a full preseason with us barring injuries, but he was over prized because of lack of football he had
The media is saying that we might have blown Europe – a good thing in my opinion. Our squad is too thin – how many teams with the same lack of depth have qualified on a shoestring and then fallen apart within a couple of years.
But more frustrating is the inability to close out games. We have dropped 5 points from goals in the last 10 minutes and another 5 points from goals in added-time. Just eliminating those very very late added-time ones would have seen us into at least 5th position as it stands.
COYW
Agree SW don’t think we’re ready , could give us problems next season in league, bigger clubs than us have struggled. But wouldn’t say no to the FA Cup
I am wrong in saying the captains allowed to talk to the referee under the FA ruling? Or does he just do the toss with the ref Rugby and Cricket captains do their roles in different in those sports but wearing the armband in football The FA cannot define what the armband means so it’s meaningless having one on that means TC is the Fulham captain if he plays but you never see him geeing players up etc he not a Roy Keane, remember Kevin Macdonald used to get the players in a circle on the pitch and Cairney was one of those players so TC should not be captain, As Charles pointed out the nearest to a leader is Andersen who captains his country how can you have a non playing captain who ie Cairney that sounds like a golf club TC is in his last season anyway this is a very important issue for our club going forward into a new era hopefully, Silva needs a Lieutenant on the field or can gee up, praise, tell off, etc but also a Vice Captain in the same mold who can also give the skipper a roasting do you see anyone challenging VanDyck at Liverpool No that breeds success, Maybe let us as supporters try and get this thru this Hammy End column and pester Silva to address this for next season this is a important issue IF we do get Europe next season
Can I just point out that Jedi has the 2nd most assists in the Premier League this season. Only Salah has more and he’s been exceptional. I think all this waffle about the captain is totally irrelevant as I’m sure most of you would agree Andersen assumes that mantle on the pitch. All he dosen’t have is piece of cloth round his arm.
Really poor quality game, Brighton were bad and we were worse. Maybe a hangover from last weeks effort. If we are going to play 3 at the back, Cueneca should be brought in and not Diop who never seems to know what to do with the ball when it comes to him. Also we need to bring down the age of the squad to bring more energy
Unfortunately I missed the game [vacationing] but when I checked the result when I landed and noted a 90 +8 min penalty for a Brighton 2-1 victory, I mused to myself how can an official call a penalty in extra time unless it is close to denying a goal scoring opportunity.
Many a striker inserts their foot intentionally just as a defender is making contact with the ball. Anywhere else on the pitch the insertion of a foot would be the actual foul; but to some EPL referees they think the penalty box reverses that onus.
The embellishment by the striker ought in itself warrant a caution – the FA could further sanction that behaviour post- match but alas, condones it by twisting logic into gibberish.
Hopefully our injured players will come back sooner.
Jamie, simulation is an offence and a yellow card should be given. How do you detect it? Watch boxing/you tube and see how people drop when struck. Nobody rolls around the floor clutching their face. Refs need to shape up or ship out.
Incidentally has their been any news on the ref FFC complained about the other week?
I prefer to ask why a player with Harrison’s experience put his foot in there when Pedro was going away from goal. He was like an impetuos schoolboy.
Two comments: 1) with our inconsistency and injuries, it seems more likely we will finish 10-12th this season out of Europe. If Marco sticks around, we will need a better plan for any skillful players looking to play in Europe who come into the squad via this summer’s transfer season, given we have maintained that 10-12th position, three years on the trot. How can you inspire players with real futures to play for a mid-table team that has not shown their ability to reach the next level? Once again, it will be about London and playing for a friendly club. It’s not progress in my mind, but it is consistency. We can give better teams a real battle and frequently bottle it with teams below us, and a fair amount of the time, look good. 2) Based on the comments about Robinson’s leadership style, I believe the squad has no alpha. Andersen is the closest to it. The lads are all a little too lovely for my taste. We need 2 or 3 on the side who have a bit of dog in them to keep the intensity up and make sure the opposition knows we are coming on the game and we will make really hard or them.