Premier League: Lookman Misses Late Penalty, Aina In Action As West Ham Edge Fulham In Dramatic Win

A Tomas Soucek strike and an Ademola Lookman penalty miss all in stoppage time, meant Fulham lost 1-0 at West Ham United in Saturday’s dramatic Premier League clash.

The tie had looked set to end goalless until Soucek struck late, but there was more drama to come.

When Tom Cairney was clipped in the box, a penalty was eventually awarded in the seventh minute of stoppage time after a VAR review, but Lookman’s attempted Panenka was saved by Lukasz Fabianski.

Also in action for Fulham were Super Eagles defender Ola Aina and Tosin Adarabioyo.

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Scott Parker was forced into one change from the side that defeated West Bromwich Albion five days earlier. The knock picked up by Mario Lemina in that fixture ruled him out, so Harrison Reed took his place in the middle of the park.

West Ham began the game in the ascendancy and had four opportunities in the opening seven minutes.

First a combination of Alphonse Areola and Aina blocked Arthur Masuaku’s angled drive, before the Fulham ‘keeper palmed over Aaron Cresswell’s moving effort from the edge of the box seconds later.

Then a wicked Jarrod Bowen volley was heading in until Areola’s reflex save – one all the more impressive considering it had deflected off the head of Aleksandar Mitrović. Sebastien Haller clipped the bar with his header from the subsequent corner.

Fulham responded with a couple of half chances for Mitrović; a free-kick which he hit into the wall, and a poked effort wide at full stretch from a delicious Reed pick-out.

On the 20 minute mark, Cairney sent a teasing ball across the box that was just too far ahead of Mitrović. 

Cresswell hit a shot against the crossbar that he believed was diverted there by some Areola fingertips, but a goal-kick was the decision.

A Bowen’s volley took a huge deflection off Adarabioyo to leave Areola helpless, but thankfully it spun wide of the post.
Fulham had put in an impressive performance, but it wasn’t until the 70th minute that Lukasz Fabianski had to make a save, and then he made two in quick succession. 

First he caught Lookman’s drilled free-kick, before getting down well to Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s acute drive.

Said Benrahma had been brough on by the hosts, and in the 89th minute he twice tried to catch Areola out at his near post but twice he was denied.

The winner came in stoppage time as a hopeful cross wasn’t properly cleared, allowing Benrahma to tee up Soucek to side-foot home.

Fulham heads did not drop, though, and some nifty Cairney footwork drew a foul in the box from Benrahma. After a VAR review, a penalty was given.

Unfortunately, Lookman’s Panenka attempt failed to beat Fabianski who was able to re-position himself to make the save. 

The defeat means Fulham are in 17th place on four points, just a point outside the relegation zone.