Fulham pulled off an extraordinary comeback against West London rivals Brentford, clinching a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage thanks to two stoppage-time goals from substitute Harry Wilson. Marco Silva’s side looked set for defeat after Vitaly Janelt’s first-half stunner gave Brentford the lead, but Wilson’s late heroics left fans and teammates alike celebrating an incredible finish.
First Half: Janelt’s Strike Puts Brentford Ahead
The match began with both teams pressing for an early advantage. Fulham enjoyed spells of possession, but it was Brentford who capitalised on their first significant opportunity. Vitaly Janelt struck a superb goal from distance, curling the ball beyond Bernd Leno to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. The first half saw Fulham struggle to break down Brentford’s organised defence despite pushing forward and creating half-chances.
Second Half: Fulham’s Persistence Pays Off
As the second half wore on, Fulham continued to pile on the pressure, but they were continually thwarted by Brentford’s solid defence and some excellent saves from goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Marco Silva brought on Harry Wilson in the second half to inject energy and creativity into Fulham’s attack. Despite a dominant performance, Fulham couldn’t find the equaliser and looked destined to lose as the game approached stoppage time.
Stoppage Time Drama: Wilson’s Double Strikes
The comeback began in the 92nd minute when Adama Traore’s cross from the right found Wilson inside the box. With an instinctive flick of his heel, Wilson directed the ball up and over Flekken, stunning the Brentford defence and igniting the Fulham faithful. Speaking afterwards, Wilson admitted that the goal was partially improvised: “I was just trying to help it on, really.” The extraordinary goal levelled the match and seemed like a fair reward for Fulham’s persistence.
The drama didn’t end there. Five minutes into added time, Antonee Robinson sent a pinpoint cross into the box, and Wilson rose high to meet it, heading it past Flekken once more. Though the ball may have brushed off his shoulder, Wilson’s second goal was enough to secure all three points. Craven Cottage erupted, and Wilson found himself celebrated by his teammates as Fulham pulled off a memorable comeback against their local rivals.
Post-Match Reactions
After the game, Wilson expressed his elation at scoring both goals, especially under such dramatic circumstances. “It was amazing to come on and score the two goals to win us the game. We deserved it after the way we pressed them,” he said. Brentford, who have now dropped 14 points from winning positions this season, were left frustrated by the late defeat.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher praised Fulham’s performance, highlighting their dominant play in the second half and commending Wilson’s impact off the bench. “This is exactly what you want from a substitute,” Carragher remarked, calling the win a deserved result for Marco Silva’s side.
With this victory, Fulham leapfrogged Brentford to move up to ninth in the Premier League, while Brentford slipped to 12th, continuing a frustrating trend of letting leads slip this season.
