Fulham manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, has praised his players and supporters after Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over Hull City to secure the club’s first Premier League win of the season.
Iwobi struck in the 33rd minute of Saturday’s encounter at Craven Cottage, with his effort taking a deflection off Hull defender John Egan before finding the back of the net.
The victory ended Fulham’s frustrating start to the campaign, having managed just two points from their opening six matches and slipped to the bottom of the Premier League table.
The three points lifted the London club from 20th to 16th position, taking their tally to five points from seven matches and easing some of the pressure on Arbeloa.
Speaking after the match, the Fulham manager expressed satisfaction with the result, particularly highlighting the commitment of his players and the patience of the club’s supporters.
“I am very happy, especially for the supporters; they deserve this win. For the players, they were looking for this victory and have been working so hard. We deserved it in other matches, but we couldn’t get it; today was finally the day,” the Fulham manager said.
Arbeloa explained that his team had displayed similar performances in previous fixtures but had failed to turn their dominance and scoring opportunities into positive results.
He noted that Fulham had often been punished for their mistakes or their opponents’ ability to convert chances, making Saturday’s performance particularly satisfying.
“We were having the same feeling as in other matches, when we were controlling the game for long spells and having good chances but didn’t score. Usually, our rivals punish our mistakes or take their chances, but today we were brilliant for 90 minutes,” he stated.
Fulham showed greater attacking intent against Hull, recording 13 shots compared with the visitors’ four as they controlled much of the contest.
However, the hosts faced a late challenge when Ryan Sessegnon was shown a straight red card during stoppage time.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Fulham successfully defended their advantage to claim all three points, with Iwobi’s goal proving decisive.
The victory represents an important turning point for the club after a difficult opening to the season.
It also highlights Iwobi’s growing influence in the team, with the Super Eagles midfielder delivering the crucial moment that secured the much-needed result.
Fulham will now look to build on the success as they prepare for their next Premier League fixture, hoping to maintain their improved form and create greater distance between themselves and the relegation zone.
