Chelsea suffered a dramatic late defeat at Stamford Bridge as Fulham staged a stunning comeback to secure a 2-1 victory. Despite a moment of brilliance from Cole Palmer to give the Blues an early lead, Fulham’s resilience and late goals from Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz snatched all three points for the visitors.
Match Recap
First Half
Chelsea started brightly, and it didn’t take long for Cole Palmer to showcase his talent. The England international danced through Fulham’s defense, weaving past two defenders before coolly slotting the ball past Bernd Leno to open the scoring.
Chelsea continued to press and thought they had doubled their lead when Levi Colwill headed home from a corner, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Fulham struggled to create clear-cut chances in the opening period but grew into the game as halftime approached.
Second Half
Fulham emerged with renewed intent and began to test Chelsea’s backline. Antonee Robinson came close, forcing an excellent save from Robert Sanchez, but the visitors’ persistence paid off late in the game.
In the 81st minute, Harry Wilson ghosted in at the back post to head home the equalizer, sparking wild celebrations from the traveling fans. Fulham weren’t done yet. Deep into stoppage time, Rodrigo Muniz found himself unmarked in the box and calmly slotted past Sanchez to complete a memorable comeback.
Player Ratings
Chelsea (4-2-3-1)
- GK: Robert Sanchez (7.3/10)
Made crucial saves to keep Chelsea in the game but was helpless for both goals. - RB: Malo Gusto (6.4/10)
Energetic in attack but struggled defensively late on. - CB: Tosin Adarabioyo (6.3/10)
A solid performance but lacked sharpness in crucial moments. - CB: Levi Colwill (7.5/10)
Commanding in defense and unlucky to have his goal ruled out. - LB: Marc Cucurella (6.2/10)
Offered little going forward and was caught out defensively. - DM: Moises Caicedo (6.8/10)
Worked hard but couldn’t control the midfield late on. - DM: Enzo Fernandez (7.2/10)
Showed his class with some excellent passing but faded as the game progressed. - RM: Pedro Neto (7.0/10)
Threatening down the right flank but lacked a final product. - AM: Cole Palmer (8.0/10)
Player of the Match. Scored a brilliant goal and was Chelsea’s standout performer. - LM: Jadon Sancho (6.6/10)
A quiet game from the winger, who struggled to make an impact. - ST: Nicolas Jackson (6.9/10)
Worked hard but lacked the clinical edge needed in front of goal.
Substitutes:
- Christopher Nkunku (6.2/10): Couldn’t influence the game after coming on.
Fulham (5-4-1)
- GK: Bernd Leno (7.9/10)
Made crucial saves to keep Fulham in the game, including denying Palmer late on. - RB: Timothy Castagne (7.6/10)
Solid defensively and provided an outlet on the right. - CB: Joachim Andersen (6.7/10)
Struggled to deal with Chelsea’s attack early but improved as the game went on. - CB: Issa Diop (7.1/10)
Reliable at the back and composed under pressure. - CB: Calvin Bassey (7.6/10)
Strong in the air and made several key interventions. - LB: Antonee Robinson (7.1/10)
Threatened in attack and held his own defensively. - RM: Adama Traore (6.6/10)
Worked hard but was substituted after a quiet display. - CM: Sasa Lukic (8.0/10)
Dominated the midfield and played a key role in Fulham’s comeback. - CM: Andreas Pereira (6.6/10)
Decent performance but lacked creativity. - LM: Alex Iwobi (7.8/10)
Dangerous throughout and created several chances. - ST: Raul Jimenez (6.8/10)
Worked tirelessly but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.
Substitutes:
- Harry Wilson (7.4/10): Scored the equalizer with a well-timed header.
- Rodrigo Muniz (7.5/10): Clinical finish to secure the win for Fulham.
Key Takeaways
- Chelsea’s Fragility: Despite an early lead, the Blues failed to capitalize on their dominance and allowed Fulham to grow into the game.
- Fulham’s Resilience: The Cottagers showed great determination and took their chances when it mattered most.
- Cole Palmer Shines: The young playmaker continues to impress, but his efforts were in vain as Chelsea slumped to another disappointing defeat.
What’s Next?
- Chelsea: The Blues need to regroup quickly as they face a tough trip to Bournemouth in their next league fixture.
- Fulham: Fulham will look to build on this momentum when they host Brighton & Hove Albion.
Final Score: Chelsea 1-2 Fulham
0
