Fulham breezed past AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Thursday evening, sealing a 3-0 home win.
The Cottagers sealed progression thanks to goals from Emile Smith Rowe, Rodrigo Muniz and Gonzalo Garcia in what was a thoroughly straightforward night’s work for the Premier League side – and a first win for new boss Alvaro Arbeloa.
Fulham not only bossed possession – almost 80 per cent – but peppered the visitors’ goal at regular junctures with 28 attempts at goal.
The hosts showed 10 changes from Monday night’s narrow defeat to Chelsea and quickly took control of the tie albeit they were struggling to fashion the breakthrough. Smith Rowe came closest when he blazed a shot wide of goal before eventually forging the opener on 37 minutes. The former Arsenal man glanced in a header from just a few yards out to break Wimbledon’s brave resistance.
The assist for that goal was by Ryan Sessegnon, whose twin brother Steven was in the Wimbledon line-up on a special night for their family.
Fulham then doubled their lead just before half-time with Muniz applying a well-placed bullet header to Kenny Tete’s precise cross inside the area. Remarkably, that was Muniz’s first goal since the opening weekend of last season albeit he had missed four months owing to injury in what was a thoroughly forgettable 2025-26 for the Brazilian.
The hosts now had the bit between their teeth and went in search of more goals in the second half with teenager substitute Macaulay Zepa fizzing a shot wide before Muniz tried his luck with a spectacular overhead kick attempt.
Wimbledon – playing against Fulham for the first time since 2001 – couldn’t find a way past an under-worked Fulham defence to add a bit of jeopardy into this contest and ultimately it would be the hosts who scored next to kill the tie completely.
Garcia applied the icing on the cake in stoppage time when he showed a terrific turn of pace to beat a defender and then round Dons’ goalkeeper Nathan Bishop before applying a precise finish.
Fulham will now travel to West Ham United in the third round of the competition next month.
