Fulham
Brighton
Fulham vs Brighton Match Commentary
Fulham vs Brighton Match Overview: 2-1 Premier League
Craven Cottage lived every second of a breathless finish as Fulham turned late tension into pure release, beating Brighton 2-1 on 24 January 2026. This Fulham vs Brighton Result was decided by a stunning Harry Wilson free-kick in stoppage time, after Samuel Chukwueze had hauled Fulham level to cancel out Yasin Ayari’s first-half thunderbolt. It was the kind of afternoon that swings on details—one VAR decision, one fingertip save, one set-piece struck perfectly—and the Fulham vs Brighton Score will sting Brighton, who created the bigger openings but left London empty-handed.
First Half
Fulham started with intent, earning early corners and asking questions through Wilson’s delivery, but Brighton’s threat was sharper whenever they broke the first line. Raul Jimenez twice went close in the opening half-hour—first forcing Bart Verbruggen into a solid save after driving into the box, then seeing a first-time effort bravely blocked as Fulham tried to turn pressure into a lead.
Instead, Brighton produced the moment of quality that changed the tone. Ayari, given a yard on the edge of the area, whipped a spectacular strike into the top-left corner to make it 0-1. Fulham didn’t fold. Wilson clipped a long-range effort just over, and a promising set-piece routine ended with Jorge Cuenca heading well wide when unmarked—an opportunity that felt expensive as the half wore on.
Brighton nearly doubled their advantage before the break when Kaoru Mitoma burst into the box and drove low toward the corner, only for Bernd Leno to tip it around the post. That save kept Fulham within touching distance at the interval, even if Brighton looked the more likely to land the next punch.
- Key Moments: Ayari’s stunning opener into the top corner set Brighton on their way.
- Leno’s outstanding stop from Mitoma prevented a damaging second before half-time.
Second Half
Fulham’s response after the restart had urgency, with Iwobi’s effort blocked as the home side pushed higher. Marco Silva reshaped his attack, introducing Ryan Sessegnon and later Tom Cairney, before turning to Chukwueze—changes that added pace and directness in the final third.
The equaliser arrived with a sense of inevitability. Andersen delivered into the area and Chukwueze met it cleanly, guiding a low finish into the bottom-left corner for 1-1. Craven Cottage lifted, and suddenly Brighton looked rattled by the shift in momentum.
Yet the visitors still carried real menace. Welbeck thought he had restored the lead after Mitoma released him, and the striker finished calmly into the bottom corner—only for VAR to rule it out for offside in the build-up. The decision didn’t end Brighton’s threat. Moments later, Leno produced his best save of the day, clawing away Welbeck’s close-range header that seemed destined for the roof of the net.
As the match moved into stoppage time, Fulham dug in, then found one last surge. Wilson stood over a long-range free-kick and unleashed a breathtaking strike into the top-left corner—an unstoppable hit that turned anxiety into euphoria and sealed the Fulham vs Brighton Score at 2-1. Brighton’s late substitutions couldn’t change the ending, and Fulham’s celebrations at the final whistle said everything about how hard-earned this was.
- Key Moments: Chukwueze’s equaliser flipped the mood and pulled Fulham back into control.
- VAR disallowed Welbeck’s goal, a pivotal moment in the Fulham vs Brighton Match Report.
- Leno’s reflex save from Welbeck kept Fulham alive when Brighton surged again.
- Wilson’s stoppage-time free-kick winner was the defining moment of the Fulham vs Brighton Highlights.
Fulham vs Brighton Stats Breakdown
This Fulham vs Brighton Stats picture explains why the contest felt so tight despite Brighton’s edge in chance quality. Brighton finished with higher expected goals (xG 1.59 to Fulham’s 1.05) and created more big chances (5 to 2), while also recording more touches in the opposition box (28 to 19) and shots inside the area (10 to 5). Fulham, though, found their decisive moments—one clinical box finish and one extraordinary set-piece—when it mattered most.
Possession was almost even (Fulham 49%, Brighton 51), and the shot count was similarly close (Fulham 12, Brighton 13). The key difference in the full-time analysis was how the chances were converted: Brighton’s best spells met Leno at his sharpest, while Fulham’s late dead-ball execution punished a single lapse. Brighton’s xA advantage (1.05 to 0.36) underlined how often they fashioned the final pass, but the scoreboard—and the Fulham vs Brighton Result—belonged to the hosts.
Fulham vs Brighton Lineups
Fulham XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson; Berge, Iwobi; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin; Jimenez.
Fulham Subs: Bassey, Cairney, Chukwueze, Diop, King, Kusi Asare, Lecomte, Reed, Sessegnon.
Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Kadioglu, van Hecke, Dunk, Boscagli; Baleba, Gross, Ayari, Gomez; Mitoma, Welbeck.
Brighton Subs: Coppola, De Cuyper, Hinshelwood, Kostoulas, Milner, Minteh, Rutter, Steele, Veltman.
Player of the Match
Bernd Leno (Fulham) edged it in a game of defining interventions. Fulham’s goalkeeper produced a huge first-half save from Mitoma, then denied Welbeck at point-blank range when Brighton threatened to steal the points. Wilson will take the headlines for the winner, but Leno’s composure and shot-stopping kept Fulham in position to deliver the decisive blow.
What the Result Means
For Fulham, this was the kind of win that strengthens belief—an emotional, gritty comeback that sends Craven Cottage home buzzing and adds real momentum to their Premier League campaign. Brighton will feel they did enough to take something, especially given the xG and big-chance count, but this Premier League match report will be remembered for fine margins: an offside in the build-up, a goalkeeper at full stretch, and one free-kick struck with absolute conviction. In the immediate post-match reaction, Fulham’s resilience will be celebrated, while Brighton’s frustration will focus on turning dominance into points.
Nothing more will happen in this game as the referee blows for full time.
90+2'
2 - 1
Harry Wilson (Fulham) unleashes a beautiful rocket of a shot from a long-range free kick. The ball goes into the top left corner and leaves the goalkeeper beaten. This takes hours and hours on the training ground. The score is 2:1.
90+1'
What was Charalampos Kostoulas (Brighton) thinking? He will not get away with that. The referee shows him a yellow card.
90'
4 additional min. will be played.
90'
The ball is out of play and Fulham manage to earn a corner.
88'
Fabian Hurzeler has decided to substitute Pascal Gross and he is replaced by Georginio Rutter (Brighton).
88'
Substitution. Danny Welbeck walks off the pitch and Charalampos Kostoulas (Brighton) comes on as a substitute.
88'
Substitution. Joshua King (Fulham) receives a signal from the referee and is now allowed to enter the pitch as Alex Iwobi walks off.
88'
The manager makes a subsitution with Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton) coming on for Olivier Boscagli.
87'
Brighton win a corner.
86'
Jorge Cuenca (Fulham) brings his opponent down with a tackle and Michael Oliver blows his whistle for a foul.
82'
The linesman makes the right call and Fulham will have a corner.
81'
Here is a change. Diego Gomez is going off and Fabian Hurzeler gives the last tactical orders to Yankuba Minteh (Brighton).
81'
Substitution. Carlos Baleba did his best and is replaced by James Milner (Brighton).
79'
Brighton have been awarded a corner kick.
79'
What a save from Bernd Leno! Danny Welbeck (Brighton) jumps high to meet a cross and glances a promising header from close range towards the roof of the net, but the goalkeeper pulls off a brilliant save to keep it out.
77'
Raul Jimenez (Fulham) misses a big chance as his shot goes wide of the left post.
76'
The referee looks satisfied after his VAR review and duly disallows the goal for offside. The Brighton players look gutted.
76'
Hold on! There’s a VAR review to see whether there was an offside in the build up to the goal. The referee is checking now. The Brighton players aren’t happy.
74'
Goal! Great play by Kaoru Mitoma releases Danny Welbeck (Brighton) in space on the edge of the box. He spots the keeper off his line and coolly puts the ball into bottom right corner. 1:2.
72'
1 - 1
Goal! Joachim Andersen puts a cross into the box and finds Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham), who latches on to it and strikes the ball into the bottom left corner. He makes it 1:1.
69'
Substitution. Emile Smith Rowe makes way for Tom Cairney (Fulham).
67'
Yasin Ayari (Brighton) strikes from the edge of the box, but hits it really poorly and sends the ball way over the bar.
66'
That will be a yellow card for one of the players. The one who gets booked is Sander Berge (Fulham).
64'
Pascal Gross (Brighton) will deliver the ball into the penalty box from a corner kick.
60'
It will be a corner kick for Fulham.
59'
Marco Silva has decided to make a change. Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham) replaces Kevin.
59'
The referee allows time for a substitution. Antonee Robinson will be replaced by Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham).
53'
Alex Iwobi (Fulham) blasts the ball from just outside the box, but his attempt is blocked by the defender.
51'
The referee points to the corner flag. It's a corner to Brighton.
46'
The players are back out on the pitch following the half-time break and the second half is about to start.
45+2'
That is it for the first half after the referee blows his whistle and the players head to their respective dressing rooms.
45'
The fourth official shows 1 min. of added time.
43'
Fulham force a corner. They send men into the box.
36'
The ball goes behind for a corner. Brighton will have an opportunity to threaten the opposition's goal.
30'
Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton) runs onto the ball inside the box and smashes it towards the bottom right corner. It's a great effort but an even better save from Bernd Leno, who tips the ball around the post.
28'
0 - 1
Yasin Ayari (Brighton) produces a moment of pure magic and scores a spectacular goal by striking the ball into the top left corner of the net!
27'
Handball by Raul Jimenez (Fulham).
26'
Raul Jimenez (Fulham) smashes a first-time shot a goal from inside the box, but it's bravely blocked by a defender.
24'
Nice individual effort by Raul Jimenez (Fulham). He gets all the way to the goalkeeper, produces a strike towards the right side of the target, but Bart Verbruggen does a good job to anticipate the direction of the ball and keeps it out with a save.
22'
The foul by Olivier Boscagli (Brighton) was seen by Michael Oliver who didn't hesitate to blow the whistle.
21'
What a long-range shot by Harry Wilson (Fulham). Unfortunately for him, his shot goes just a few inches over the bar.
20'
Harry Wilson pings in the corner towards the centre of the box and finds Jorge Cuenca (Fulham) unmarked, but his free header is woeful and slips well over the bar.
19'
The referee signals a corner kick to Fulham.
18'
Danny Welbeck (Brighton) is offside and the linesman raises his flag.
9'
Good work from Fulham as they win a corner.
8'
The referee and one of his assistants signal for a corner kick to Brighton.
6'
The ball is out of play. A goal-scoring opportunity from a corner for Brighton.
5'
Kevin (Fulham) takes a mid-range shot, but the ball sails high over the bar.
1'
Today's match has just started, enjoy the game!
Brighton will kick-off.
Let us introduce today's referee to you, and it's Michael Oliver.
Show lineups
The starting lineups of both teams are already revealed and you can check them out in the details of this match.
Hello and welcome to our minute-by-minute commentary of the upcoming clash. We will try to provide you with as-accurate-as possible picture of the happenings on the pitch. Have fun.