Fulham Football Club secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forest in Monday’s Premier League clash at Craven Cottage, significantly altering the relegation landscape. Mexican striker Raul Jimenez proved the difference-maker, converting a first-half penalty to maintain his impeccable record from the spot in England’s top flight.
The match represented a classic six-pointer between teams positioned near the bottom of the table. Marco Silva’s Fulham entered the contest merely two points above their opponents, but Jimenez’s clinical finish in stoppage time of the opening half propelled them to a more comfortable position in the standings.
Forest, despite arriving with momentum from six wins in their previous eight matches across all competitions—including a impressive 3-0 triumph over Tottenham—failed to replicate their recent form. Manager Sean Dyche lamented his team’s lack of cutting edge, noting their inability to convert opportunities into meaningful threats on goal.
The game’s decisive moment arrived when Douglas Luiz fouled Fulham’s Kevin in the penalty area deep into first-half added time. Jimenez stepped up and calmly dispatched the spot-kick, marking his 11th successful penalty from 11 attempts in Premier League competition, sending goalkeeper John Victor the wrong way.
Forest created several opportunities to equalize, particularly through Brazilian striker Igor Jesus who wasted two first-half chances and saw a second-half chip drift just over the crossbar. Additional efforts from Murillo and Morgan Gibbs-White tested Fulham’s defense but ultimately failed to beat goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
The victory provides Fulham with consecutive league wins following their triumph over Burnley, despite missing several key players including Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, and Calvin Bassey who are representing Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.