Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi goals not enough for Fulham comeback

Nigeria winger Samuel Chukwueze’s brace and Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi’s strike were not enough as English Premier League side Fulham were edged 5-4 at home by Manchester City in a Matchday 15 fixture at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

​Manchester City went three goals up as Erling Haaland’s 17th-minute goal opened the scoring for an entertaining game. Tijjani Reijnders then doubled the lead before Phil Foden added his name to the scoreboard, with former Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe pulling one back for the hosts before the end of the half.

​However, the second half was far from over, featuring a sensational fightback orchestrated by Fulham’s Nigerian duo, Chukwueze and Iwobi. Their combined three goals transformed a seemingly lost cause—trailing 5-1 early in the half—into a match that left Pep Guardiola’s side desperately defending deep into stoppage time.

​The early minutes of the second half looked like the game was over as Foden got his second of the night, and Sander Berge scored an own goal in the 54th minute to extend Manchester City’s lead to 5-1.

​Iwobi’s tireless presence in Fulham’s engine room throughout the chaotic contest pulled the score back to 5-2 in the 57th minute, when he collected the ball near the edge of the box and unleashed a precise, low drive that found the bottom corner—a goal that shifted the momentum of the entire game.

​Chukwueze, who was introduced at halftime—a substitution that immediately injected pace and directness into the team’s attacking third—spearheaded the recovery, scoring his first Premier League goal for the club in the 72nd minute by drilling home a fine effort after some chaotic defending from the City backline.

​Just six minutes later, he struck again, smashing a low drive past the goalkeeper following a corner, reducing the deficit to 5-4.

​The win means second-placed City (who are on 28 points) cut Arsenal’s lead to just two points. The Gunners can go five points clear if they beat Brentford on Wednesday.

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