Samuel Chukwueze marked his return from AFCON 2025 duty by scoring the equaliser as Fulham came from behind to beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 at Craven Cottage in a dramatic Premier League matchday 23 clash on Saturday.
Both sides went into the game looking to pull clear of the congested mid-table pack, with Fulham hoping to bounce back after their six-game unbeaten run was ended by Leeds in their previous outing. Head coach Marco Silva had plenty to consider, but his team showed resilience and character when it mattered most.
Fulham started brightly but fell behind in the 28th minute against the run of play. Yasin Ayari was given too much space, ran past two Fulham players to the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful shot. Bernd Leno got his hands to the effort but could not prevent it from crossing the line.
The hosts pushed for a response but struggled to break down Brighton’s defence for much of the second half. Silva introduced Chukwueze in the 59th minute, and the Nigerian winger made an immediate impact.
In the 72nd minute, Fulham went direct, and it paid off. Joachim Andersen launched a long ball forward that sailed over Olivier Boscagli. Chukwueze raced onto it and finished superbly into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
Brighton thought they had restored their lead just 90 seconds later when Danny Welbeck latched onto a through ball and finished well, but the flag was raised for offside and Fulham were reprieved.
Deep into stoppage time, Fulham completed the turnaround in spectacular fashion. In the 92nd minute, Harry Wilson curled a brilliant free kick from 25 yards past the wall. Bart Verbruggen got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out as Fulham sealed all three points.
The victory ended Fulham’s seven-game winless run in Premier League matches when conceding first, a sequence that dated back to their 3-1 win over Brentford on 20 September. The result lifts Fulham to seventh place with 34 points, while Brighton drop to 12th with 31 points.
Samuel Chukwueze, who came on in the 59th minute, finished with one shot on target, completed six of his 10 passes, lost possession seven times and recorded 16 touches during his time on the pitch.
