Fulham 1-0 Sunderland: Late Jimenez strike secures crucial home victory
Fulham and Sunderland appeared to be heading for a stalemate at Craven Cottage, but Raul Jimenez had other ideas with six minutes remaining.
Raul Jimenez was Fulham's hero at Craven Cottage, with his late strike securing a dramatic 1-0 victory over Sunderland.
The Mexico striker scored the decisive goal six minutes from time to give Marco Silva's side only a second win in seven Premier League games.
Fulham carried the greater attacking threat throughout the match, with Harry Wilson and Kevin going the closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half.
Wilson, fresh from scoring a hat-trick in Wales' 7-1 rout of North Macedonia on Tuesday, also shot narrowly wide after the break, but the contest appeared destined for a stalemate despite the hosts' persistence.
However, in the 84th minute, Jimenez stepped up with only his second league goal of the season, turning home substitute Samuel Chukwueze's inviting cross to seal an important three points.
Victory sees the Cottagers edge up to 14th place and build a three-point cushion over the bottom three.
Regis Le Bris' visitors slip from fourth to sixth after seeing their impressive four-match unbeaten run come to an end. They only managed two shots on target, and will now look to regroup before facing Bournemouth, who are level with them in the standings on 19 points.
Data Debrief: More home comforts for Fulham
Fulham have now won four of their last five Premier League home games (lost one), as many victories as in their previous 15 such matches beforehand (drawn five, lost six).
The Cottagers have also won four consecutive Premier League games against newly promoted sides for the third time (also doing so in 2011 and 2005), their joint-longest ever such run in the competition.
Jimenez secured victory with his first Premier League home goal of the season. Each of the Mexican’s last 14 goals in the competition have either put his side ahead (11) or drawn them level (three).
As for Sunderland, they have now lost consecutive league games against Fulham for the first time since a run of three straight defeats in January 2006 (three in a row).
