Fulham earned a deserved 1–0 win over Sunderland at Craven Cottage, with Samuel Chukwueze providing the decisive moment after coming off the bench.
Fulham controls the game early
Marco Silva’s side imposed themselves from the start.
Kevin forced two saves from Robin Roefs, while Alex Iwobi also tested the goalkeeper from close range. Fulham created several promising breaks but lacked the finishing touch to make their dominance count.
Sunderland’s best moment of the half came through Bertrand Traoré, whose low shot was saved by Bernd Leno. Aside from that, the visitors struggled to link play together and were pinned back for long spells.
Chukwueze Changes the Tempo
The match shifted once Samuel Chukwueze was introduced in the 64th minute.
His pace and direct dribbling immediately stretched Sunderland’s defence. Fulham became sharper in attack, moving the ball quicker and finding more openings in wide areas.
Chukwueze created two chances for Ryan Sessegnon within minutes of coming on, forcing Sunderland to defend deeper as he grew into the game.
The breakthrough
Fulham finally found the winner in the 84th minute, and it came from Chukwueze’s brilliance.
The Nigerian winger beat his marker on the right and delivered a precise low cross into the six-yard box. Raúl Jiménez reacted first and stabbed the ball home from close range.
The goal reflected Fulham’s improvement after Chukwueze’s introduction. Sunderland pushed forward late on, but Fulham closed the game professionally.
Chukwueze’s influence
Despite playing only part of the second half, Chukwueze was Fulham’s standout performer.
His assist, creativity, and ability to break lines lifted Fulham in a match where they needed a spark to unlock a stubborn defence.
What’s Next?
Fulham face a tough test away to Tottenham on 29 November.
Sunderland return home to host Bournemouth in a bid to bounce back and protect their position in the top six.
