Alex Iwobi’s Late Strike Seals Fulham’s First Home Win of the Season

Alex Iwobi’s decisive 70th-minute goal ensured Fulham secured a 2-1 victory over Leicester City in their first Premier League home game of the season. The Nigerian winger’s composed finish through the legs of Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen restored Fulham’s lead after Wout Faes had equalized for the Foxes before halftime.

Fulham started the match strongly, with their dominance evident throughout. The Cottagers took the lead when Emile Smith Rowe, recently signed from Arsenal for £34 million, slotted home his first goal for the club. Smith Rowe, who struggled for game time at Arsenal last season, showed his quality by collecting a pass from Adama Traore, driving into the box, and firing a low shot into the far corner.

Leicester managed to level the score 20 minutes later through Wout Faes. Initially, referee Darren Bond disallowed the goal, ruling that Jamie Vardy had interfered with Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno from an offside position. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, allowing the goal to stand.

Despite Leicester’s equalizer, Fulham continued to control the match, creating numerous chances. Iwobi eventually found the breakthrough in the 70th minute, coolly finishing past Hermansen after a slick move. Leicester struggled to regain momentum after falling behind again, with Wilfred Ndidi coming closest to an equalizer in injury time, only to see his shot saved by Leno.

Fulham’s win marks a strong response after their narrow defeat to Manchester United in their opening game. Manager Marco Silva, who expressed the need for more signings, will be pleased with the performances of his new recruits, especially Smith Rowe, who showed great promise in his debut.

Leicester, on the other hand, were unconvincing at both ends of the pitch. Despite Faes’ goal, the Foxes struggled to create clear-cut chances and were defensively vulnerable, narrowly avoiding conceding more goals thanks to some excellent saves from Hermansen. Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s talisman, had little impact on the game and was substituted in the second half after failing to register a single shot.