Flying Ryan stuns Wolves
FULHAM strengthened their growing play- off credentials by stunning runaway leaders Wolves 2-0 at Craven Cottage.
Goals from Ryan Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrovic put the London club seven points clear of seventh place, and, with two of the four teams above them dropping points yesterday, even a direct return to the top flight remains a distinct possibility for the Cottagers.
It was fitting that such an exciting, end-to-end encounter was influenced so heavily by the liveliest player involved in the game — Sessegnon. The 17-year-old looks a Premier League player and whether it is in a Fulham shirt or not, his pace and relentless running would cause many a top-flight defender trouble.
His close-range opener on 38 minutes came after Mitrovic’s shot was parried into his path by Wolves goalkeeper John Ruddy. He was the first to react and from two yards out and with the goal gaping, the youngster couldn’t miss.
The warning signs were there for Wolves from very early in the first half. Mitrovic had lifted the ball over a helpless Ruddy in the Wolves goal, but, just as the Fulham fans rose as one to celebrate, captain Conor Coady arrived in the nick of time to hook it off the line.
Wolves’ response was what you would expect of champions-elect. Their dynamic front three combined beautifully to almost give them the lead. Leo Bonatini drew Fulham’s defenders to the edge of the box, teed-up Helder Costa who flicked the ball on brilliantly to Ivan Cavaleiro who hit the bar with the outside of his boot.
However, as the first half went on Fulham found a foothold and it culminated in Sessegnon’s strike after some smart work down the right from Mitrovic.
The break did nothing to lift Wolves and it remained Fulham who looked like the team flying high at the top of the division. With 20 minutes to go, Mitrovic, who seemed at the centre of everything Fulham did well, beat three men on the edge of the box and fired an unstoppable shot into the corner.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo sent on Benik Afobe and Diogo Jota in a bid to wrestle the initiative off the home side and the two substitutes almost combined to stunning effect. Afobe worked the ball into the Fulham box and cut it back to the arriving Jota, but the Portuguese fired over from six yards to the disbelief of the away end.
It was Wolves’ best chance of the game and with that went the hope of an unlikely comeback as they recorded only their second defeat in the league since October.
For Fulham, this massive result strengthens their hopes of a return to the top flight for the first time since 2014.