The chances of Fulham earning European football for the coming season are now effectively dead after a disappointing 1-1 stalemate with relegated Wolves on Sunday afternoon.
With Marco Silva’s men requiring a win to maintain their push for a place in the top six, they were instead forced to lament a lacklustre display that sees them stranded down in 12th position, three points adrift of Brentford, who occupy eighth spot, and three teams separating them from a place in Europe.
The Match Action: A Tale of Two Halves
In their last home league game of a horrific Premier League season, Wolves under Rob Edwards made a bright start in front of their fans, eager to put a smile on their faces after such an awful campaign. The opener came when Mateus Mané put them ahead with a terrific strike at the end of the opening half-hour of the match. The Portuguese youngster stung the palms of Bernd Leno before unleashing an impressive shot that hit the back of the net for the hosts.
However, the young Portuguese forward quickly turned from hero to villain deep into first-half stoppage time. A clumsy, reckless challenge on Timothy Castagne inside the penalty area prompted referee Thomas Kirk to consult the pitchside VAR monitor. Kirk inevitably pointed to the spot, allowing Antonee Robinson to step up and calmly convert the penalty, sending the sides into the break level.
Despite the setback, the relegated home team was the one showing more danger in the second period. Yerson Mosquera missed a golden chance when he failed to connect with the ball, sending it wide, despite having no marker from a set piece.
Adam Armstrong almost retook the lead in the 68th minute, but his chip effort was just too much for the goal, narrowly missing the upright. In a bid to add some dynamism, Marco Silva brought on Harry Wilson.
Data Debrief: A Record-Breaking Afternoon for Mané
- Following Ronaldo’s Footsteps: With Mané scoring his third goal in the Premier League this season from outside the box, he is now the second Portuguese youngster to reach this milestone in the league, equalling the feat of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo who accomplished it in the 2003-04 season.
- The Youngest to Give and Take: There were both happy and sorrowful moments for the youngster as he made history by becoming the youngest player in the history of the English premier league to not only score a goal but also give away a penalty in the same game at just 18 years and 243 days old, breaking the record held by Jonathan Woodgate (19 years and 85 days old).
- A Fair Reflection: While statistics always paint a more accurate picture, it can be seen that the match was a fairly contested draw with Fulham having the better of things as they had one extra attempt (1.53 xG) than Wolves’ 11 (1.4 xG).
The Aftermath: Final Day Formalities
However, for Marco Silva, the sound of the referee’s whistle marked the end of their European dream. The Cottagers have no other choice but to return home and take on Newcastle United in what will be the last game of their campaign.
As far as Rob Edwards and Wolves are concerned, the fight back demonstrated by them in the second half will provide a slight consolation to their fans who understand where they have come from. The Old Gold have an opportunity to earn three crucial points against Burnley at Turf Moor next week, thereby avoiding the embarrassment of being bottom club of the Premier League.
Match Summary
- Final Score: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Fulham
- Goals: Mané (25′); Robinson (45+’ PEN)
- Venue: Molineux
