Premier League: Fulham’s Nigerian Duo Crucial in Stoppage-Time Rescue

Premier League: Fulham’s Nigerian Duo Crucial in Stoppage-Time Rescue

By Admin 

Nigeria internationals Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey played key roles as Fulham battled to a dramatic 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in their Premier League opener at the AMEX Stadium on Saturday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The hosts looked set to take all three points after Matt O’Reilly converted from the penalty spot early in the second half, sending Bernd Leno the wrong way following a foul on Sander Berge. But Fulham’s resilience paid off deep into stoppage time, with Rodrigo Muniz firing home from Harry Wilson’s corner in the 96th minute to rescue a point.

Bassey, deployed at left-back, delivered a commanding 90-minute performance, offering defensive stability against Brighton’s dangerous wide players. Meanwhile, Iwobi, beginning his 11th consecutive Premier League campaign, was lively in midfield before being substituted in the 66th minute after a tireless shift.

Fulham had pressed for an equaliser before their late breakthrough, with Kenny Tete blasting over from a good position and Emile Smith Rowe seeing a deflected effort go narrowly wide. Their persistence, however, was rewarded in the dying seconds, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling fans.

The result underlined Fulham’s fighting spirit, with their Nigerian stars central to the effort that denied Brighton a winning start to the season.

Elsewhere in the Premier League

Newly promoted Sunderland made a statement with a commanding 3-0 victory over West Ham United at the Stadium of Light.

Tottenham Hotspur swept aside Burnley, another promoted side, with a comfortable 3-0 win.

On Friday, Liverpool set the tone for the opening weekend by defeating Bournemouth 4-2 in an entertaining curtain-raiser.

For Fulham, the late equaliser not only secured a valuable away point but also set the tone for what could be a promising campaign. Both Iwobi and Bassey will now look to build on their strong starts as the season progresses.