Fulham
Brighton
Fulham beat Brighton 2–1 on 24 January 2026 (Premier League 2025-2026, Round 23). Goals – Fulham: Samuel Chukwueze 72', Harry Wilson 90+2'; Brighton: Yasin Ayari 28'. Highest-rated player: Joachim Andersen (7.9). In 12 Premier League meetings since 2000-01, Fulham have won 6, Brighton 1 and 5 matches have been drawn.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Report written automatically from the match data and commentary. xG figures are the data provider's.
FulhamBrightonxG and xGOT are the data provider's figures.
Calvin Bassey, Issa Diop, Jonah Kusi Asare, Benjamin Lecomte, Harrison Reed
Diego Coppola, Jack Hinshelwood, Jason Steele, Joel Veltman
12 meetings · goals Fulham 20–11 Brighton
Previous meetings
1–1FT · 15:00Fulham 2–1FT · 15:00Fulham 3–1FT · 19:30Brighton 3–0FT · 15:00Brighton 1–1FT · 14:00Fulham Last five Premier League matches, oldest to newest.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 |
Brighton
|
38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | +6 | 53 |
| 11 |
Fulham
|
38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | −4 | 52 |
Fulham
Brighton
Fulham vs Brighton Match Commentary