Fulham Punish 10-Man Chelsea in Fiery West London Derby
- Fulham claimed a rare and fully deserved Premier League victory over Chelsea at Craven Cottage, overcoming their local rivals 2-1 after Marc Cucurella’s early red card tilted the contest firmly in the hosts’ favour.
Craven Cottage was bouncing on Wednesday night as Fulham secured only their fourth ever Premier League win over Chelsea, producing a disciplined and relentless display to beat the Blues 2-1 in a heated west London derby.
The defining moment arrived as early as the 22nd minute. Bernd Leno’s quick thinking from a goal-kick released Harry Wilson clean through on goal, forcing Marc Cucurella into a desperate recovery challenge. The Chelsea defender bundled Wilson to the ground just outside the box and referee Peter Bankes had no hesitation in showing a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
From that point on, Fulham sensed opportunity and began to build sustained pressure. Wilson was at the heart of everything, constantly finding pockets of space and troubling a reshuffled Chelsea backline. The hosts thought they had taken the lead deep into first-half stoppage time when Wilson finished superbly inside the area, only for VAR to rule Raul Jimenez offside in the build-up.
Undeterred, Fulham maintained their intensity after the break and were rewarded on 55 minutes. Sander Berge picked out Jimenez with a perfectly weighted cross and the Mexican striker rose highest to guide a precise header into the bottom corner, finally giving the home side a deserved lead.
Chelsea, to their credit, refused to collapse despite playing with ten men. The visitors grew into the game and found an equaliser on 72 minutes when Neto’s corner caused chaos in the Fulham box. After the ball ricocheted off the crossbar, Liam Delap reacted quickest to tap home from close range, scoring his first Premier League goal in Chelsea colours.
The equaliser threatened to swing momentum, but Fulham responded with real authority. Nine minutes later, Wilson delivered the decisive moment his performance deserved. After Sanchez saved Emile Smith Rowe’s initial effort, the ball spilled loose inside the area and Wilson pounced, firing home via a slight deflection to restore Fulham’s lead.
Chelsea pushed desperately for another leveller in the closing stages, but Fulham stood firm, managing the game expertly and seeing out five minutes of added time. Despite Chelsea recording higher expected goals, the hosts were sharper in the decisive moments and showed greater composure when it mattered most.
The win extends Fulham’s unbeaten run and underlines their growing confidence under Marco Silva, while Chelsea’s discipline issues once again proved costly. With another red card added to a worrying trend, the Blues leave Craven Cottage with more questions than answers as their inconsistent league form continues.
