Alex Iwobi was the standout performer in Fulham’s 3-1 Premier League win over Brighton, continuing his impressive form by scoring twice and leading his team to a crucial victory that moved them up to sixth in the table. Despite being played in a deeper central midfield role than usual, Iwobi pressed high early on and capitalized on a mistake by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the fourth minute. Verbruggen attempted a short pass out from the back, but it went straight to Iwobi, who calmly slotted the ball into an open net. Iwobi later added a second goal in the 87th minute, curling a perfect shot into the bottom-right corner to seal the win for Fulham.
The match had a dramatic start, with Brighton controlling possession in the first half after the early setback. Joao Pedro was denied by Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno, and Simon Adingra’s close-range effort was also kept out. Brighton eventually leveled the game in the 56th minute, with Carlos Baleba scoring a stunning volley from the edge of the box, assisted by a backheel from Joao Pedro.
The game turned in Fulham’s favor in the 79th minute when Andreas Pereira’s corner was deflected into Brighton’s net by Matt O’Riley, giving Fulham a 2-1 lead. Iwobi’s late strike ensured all three points for Fulham, which had not scored from a corner since April, making this their first goal from such a situation in 2024-25.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, who was serving a touchline ban, defended his goalkeeper’s mistake, stating that mistakes are part of football and are opportunities for growth. Fulham manager Marco Silva praised Iwobi’s performance, especially his adaptability in a different role. Hurzeler, on the other hand, was disappointed by the defeat, emphasizing that Brighton deserved more given their strong performance and chances created throughout the match.
