Yoann Barbet’s 90th minute own goal gave Fulham a dramatic 3-2 victory in an incredible contest with Brentford. The match was held at Craven Cottage. Harry Wilson was the Fulham hero once again, as he scored an outrageous 20-yard curler that won Fulham the game. This marked Wilson’s second game-winning goal against Brentford this season, keeping the team’s slim hopes of European qualification alive.
That match was played amid a stunning week in the world of soccer. Jarred Gillett came under extreme fire for his decision making for Chivas USA’s historical status. Referee Paul Tierney was roundly lambasted for failing to show Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson a red card in the FA cup final. This called into question his decision-making going into that most awaited clash.
Match Overview
Fulham got on the board first with a Raul Jimenez goal in just the 15th minute. Adama Traore laid another lovely, perfectly placed cross in for Jimenez. At full stretch, and with surgical accuracy, Jimenez buried the chance. Brentford clawed back almost immediately, with Bryan Mbeumo equalizing just a few minutes later. After Wissa’s goal the see-sawing enough back-and-forth continued when Yoane Wissa netted the game’s 3rd goal to make it 2-1 for Brentford.
Tom Cairney, making his first-ever start for Fulham, a strong assist on Fulham’s second goal, made it 2-2. His goal completely changed the momentum of the game. Then, Wilson curled in a beautiful late winner to secure all three points for Fulham.
“Harry is probably wondering why he doesn’t play against Brentford every single week!” – Marco Silva
During this contest, Fulham showed both toughness and strategic awareness. Even after a dodgy patch in which they shipped two goals to relegation-seeking Brentford, their persistence eventually paid off. That win lifted Fulham to within three points of fourth-place Brentford. They have since come back to trail by a mere point and be in eighth place.
Controversial Refereeing Decisions
The officiating of Jarred Gillett obscured everything from the match post-match. Gillett faced harsh criticism for his failure to send off both Kenny Tete and Yoane Wissa during key moments of the game. These calls have been controversial even among fans and pundits, rightly calling into question the quality and consistency of refereeing in key matches.
Even without the public outcry over his performance during previous matchups, Gillett’s widely lambasted decisions led to a week already assuming such a storm of controversy. The referee’s inconsistent and questionable decisions have triggered Twitter outrage and deep-dive analysis, calling for better officiating at every level.
“Overall in the 90 minutes, it was one of our better games, especially the first half. We were in complete control, scoring two goals and missing a penalty.” – Thomas Frank
European Hopes Alive
With this victory, Fulham has renewed their slim hopes for European qualification. They are now one of several clubs fiercely contesting the fourth and final place for next season’s continental competitions. Though outsiders doubted the Cottagers’ chances, manager Marco Silva talked up his team’s talent and potential.
“This morning, I was reading some things mentioning three or four clubs that could get into Europe, but not Fulham. They probably don’t look at the table properly or don’t respect us like we deserve.” – Marco Silva
Silva’s comments highlight his view that Fulham should be given credit for the work they have done this campaign. The team’s performance against Brentford demonstrates their potential as they aim to continue their push for a stronger finish in the Premier League.
Leave a Reply