Silva says Fulham enduring 'difficult moment' after Bournemouth sucker punch
Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert provided the heroics as Bournemouth inflicted Fulham's second 3-1 defeat in the space of five days.
Marco Silva acknowledged his Fulham team are going through a difficult moment in their season after Bournemouth stunned them with three late goals in a 3-1 win.
Fulham looked to be on course for three crucial points at the Vitality Stadium when Ryan Sessegnon put them ahead in the 70th minute.
That was despite the visitors playing without a recognised striker due to injuries to Rodrigo Muniz and Raul Jimenez, while they also lost Sasa Lukic in another fitness blow just 14 minutes in.
Two wonderful goals flipped the contest on its head, as Antoine Semenyo squeezed his finish through Bernd Leno's legs after a fantastic solo run, before Justin Kluivert picked out the top-left corner from distance.
Semenyo then added a third goal deep into second-half stoppage time, sending Fulham into the international break off the back of successive defeats.
Speaking to Sky Sports after full-time, Silva said: "This moment of the season is very difficult for us.
"We're without two strikers and then after 10 minutes, we lose one of the best players for us so far in Lukic.
"But then leading the score like we were, on a tough night away from home, collectively we had the game under control and in two moments they decide the game."
Silva remains winless in 13 consecutive matches against Spanish opposition managers in the Premier League (three draws, 10 defeats), losing all six such games in 2025.
The teams combined for just 0.22 expected goals (xG) in the first half – the lowest collective figure in the opening 45 minutes of any Premier League match this campaign.
Silva felt his team improved markedly after the break, registering more shots than Bournemouth in the second half (nine to seven) though trailing the Cherries' 1.01 xG with a figure of 0.78.
But he admitted moments of individual quality had taken three points away from his side, saying: "It's very difficult for us, the way we lost the game.
"At half-time we adjusted some things and I think our second half was very good until the equaliser.
"The goal for 1-0 was a great collective goal from us and then afterwards, in two individual moments they decided the game.
"Looking at the first goal, it's two versus one on the side, you have to be much stronger. Two individual moments from Semenyo and then after another from Kluivert from 25 yards."
