Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi, scored the decisive goal as Fulham secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday, handing manager Alvaro Arbeloa his first league win and lifting the club out of the relegation zone.
Iwobi found the net in the 34th minute at Craven Cottage, capping a well-worked attacking move to give the hosts the lead.
The Nigerian midfielder’s effort slipped through the arms of Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, who could have done better to prevent the goal.
The strike proved decisive as Fulham held on to claim all three points and ease the pressure on Arbeloa, whose position had reportedly come under scrutiny following the club’s difficult start to the season.
Fulham dominated the first half, registering 10 shots as they consistently troubled the visitors’ defence.
The hosts continued to create opportunities after the break, but Tzolakis denied Josh King in a one-on-one situation in the 54th minute before stopping Iwobi’s effort four minutes later.
Iwobi came close to extending Fulham’s advantage in the 70th minute when his curling effort narrowly missed the target.
Six minutes later, the midfielder delivered an excellent cross that Gonzalo Garcia met with a header, only for the ball to strike the crossbar.
Hull struggled to create clear-cut opportunities for much of the encounter but appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty in the 82nd minute after Jayden Gelhardt went down inside the Fulham box.
The match took another turn in stoppage time when Fulham were reduced to 10 men after substitute Ryan Sessegnon received a straight red card for a late challenge on Hull substitute Robinio Vaz.
Despite the late setback, Fulham successfully defended their lead to secure a much-needed victory.
The result lifts Fulham out of the relegation zone and provides Arbeloa with some breathing space after a challenging opening to his Premier League managerial career.
However, the victory will need to be followed by consistent performances if the Spaniard is to silence doubts about his position and guide Fulham away from the lower end of the table.
