Fulham collected a valuable three points at Craven Cottage after a narrow 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, with Raul Jimenez’s calmly taken penalty just before the break settling a low-key Premier League encounter.
The hosts were missing some of their usual attacking spark, playing without Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze, and found clear chances hard to come by for long spells. Even so, the game’s defining moment arrived when Kevin showed sharp footwork inside the area and was clipped by Douglas Luiz, leaving the referee little option but to point to the spot. Jimenez stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Fulham a lead they would not relinquish.
Forest actually enjoyed plenty of the ball and spent long periods in Fulham territory, but possession rarely translated into genuine danger. Igor Jesus had an early opening after a loose pass across the Fulham box but delayed too long and blazed over, summing up Forest’s lack of urgency in the final third. Beyond that, Bernd Leno was largely untroubled, with Forest struggling to create clear sights of goal despite seeing plenty of the ball.
Fulham themselves offered little in open play after the interval, seemingly content to protect their advantage. Their best chance to seal the win came late on when Jimenez met a Kenny Tete cross, only to glance his header wide with the goal inviting. Still, Forest were unable to capitalise on Fulham’s conservatism, failing to test Leno as the match drifted towards its conclusion.
While the performance may not live long in the memory, the result certainly will for Marco Silva’s side. The win lifts Fulham further clear of relegation trouble and keeps them within touching distance of the teams chasing European places. For Forest, the frustration was clear: plenty of neat build-up, but no cutting edge, and another evening where control of the game brought no reward.
Fulham now turn their attention to an upcoming trip to West Ham, while Forest face a daunting home test against Manchester City, knowing improvement in the final third is essential if they are to avoid being dragged back into danger.
