Fulham 0 Burnley 2
Marco Silva’s side welcomed Burnley to Craven Cottage as The Cottagers looked to get back to winning ways after booking their place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup for the first time in the club’s history. Defeat at Newcastle last week ended their recent free-scoring run.
Harry Wilson forced the first save out of James Trafford as he ran into the box before getting a shot away. It was routine for the keeper but a sign of intent from Fulham who had been scoring goals for fun of late. Not the sort of opponent Vincent Kompany’s side needed right now.
The Clarets’ keeper then made a brilliant reaction save when Palhinha struck a vicious shot at goal and somehow Trafford got a hand up to keep it out when he saw it so late. The England U21 keeper seems to be a real coup for Burnley.
Fulham were in full flow by this stage an Iwobi was the next player to weave his way past the Burnley defence. As he got into the box with the goal in his sight, his left footed shot nestled into the side netting when he really should have been working the keeper.
Credit: @BurnleyOfficial
Alex Iwobi is playing some of the best football of his career at the moment and the ball seems to stick to his feet as he glides past players. Such is his confidence, he looked to bend one in the top corner but as it deflected off Vitinho, Trafford had to adjust and made a one-handed save.
Burnley were hanging on towards the end of the first half and as they struggled to clear the ball, Fulham had shot after shot, trying to break the deadlock. On this occasion, The Clarets put bodies on the line to protect Trafford’s goal.
Leno could have been off doing Christmas shopping with his family such was his participation in the first half. After the interval Foster helped a cross on and Amdouni struck it first time and it whistled inches wide of the German’s goal.
Whatever Vincent Kompany said at half time worked as Foster laid it off to Odobert who bent one in the top corner from distance, giving the Fulham keeper no chance whatsoever. Burnley looked a completely different side from before the interval.
Fulham really struggled to get to grips with the visitors in the second half and could not create the chances they did in the first half. Berge then burst through the middle, with no one challenging him, before drilling the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.
When The Cottagers managed to get up the other end of the pitch, the influential Trafford stood firm to deny them. His performance inspired his defence and they worked as a team to frustrate Marco Silva’s side. They had a hunger for the win.
Credit: @BurnleyOfficial
Burnley’s defensive performance in the first half put them in a position to compete after the interval. They stunned Fulham with how they came out of the blocks after the break and they never really recovered. Kompany’s side had earned these three points.
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