Fulham 1–0 Nottingham Forest: Jiménez Penalty Secures Back-to-Back League Wins

Raúl Jiménez kept his composure from the penalty spot to earn Fulham a narrow but deserved 1–0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest, as Marco Silva’s side recorded consecutive league wins and only their fourth clean sheet of the season.

The decisive moment came deep into first-half stoppage time, when Jiménez converted from 12 yards after Kevin was fouled by Douglas Luiz, sending goalkeeper John Victor the wrong way to maintain his perfect penalty record in the Premier League.

Cagey First Half Settled Late On

The opening 45 minutes were largely devoid of attacking quality from either side, with both teams struggling to fashion clear chances. Remarkably, the match’s first effort on target arrived only in the fifth minute of added time.

Fulham had shown early intent through winger Kevin, who drove forward down the left inside the opening minute, though his cross failed to find a teammate. Forest briefly thought they had a penalty when VAR checked a possible handball by Callum Hudson-Odoi inside the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Forest’s first meaningful threat came through a well-constructed move that saw Neco Williams find Igor Jesus, whose effort drifted wide. The Brazilian forward later capitalised on an error from Antonee Robinson, but his shot was blocked.

Fulham gradually grew into the contest and looked the more threatening side as the half wore on. Jiménez saw a right-footed strike blocked, while Douglas Luiz attempted an ambitious effort from distance that sailed well wide.

Marco Silva’s men continued to probe, with Robinson delivering a cross that Sasa Lukic could only guide wide, before Jiménez glanced a header into the side netting from another dangerous delivery.

Just as the half appeared destined to end goalless, Fulham were awarded a penalty when Kevin was tripped by Luiz inside the area. Jiménez stepped up calmly, sending Victor the wrong way to give the hosts a crucial lead at the interval.

Forest Push, Fulham Hold Firm

Nottingham Forest emerged with greater urgency after the break and enjoyed a strong spell of pressure as they searched for an equaliser.

Hudson-Odoi produced some neat footwork to tee up Williams, whose shot was comfortably gathered by Bernd Leno. Omari Hutchinson then crossed for Morgan Gibbs-White, but his acrobatic attempt flew well wide.

Forest continued to push, with Murillo testing Leno from distance and Gibbs-White firing a low drive narrowly past the post following a clever through-ball from Elliot Anderson.

Despite Forest’s pressure, Fulham remained disciplined defensively and rarely looked unsettled. Leno was largely untroubled, dealing confidently with anything that came his way.

Missed Chances but Job Done

Fulham came close to doubling their advantage on two occasions. Substitute and club captain Tom Cairney surged forward from midfield before drilling a long-range effort inches wide, while Jiménez later headed wide from a pinpoint Kenny Tete cross after excellent work down the right.

Forest’s final opportunity arrived when Anderson delivered a teasing cross towards Nikola Milenkovic, who was unfortunate not to make contact. At the other end, Fulham almost sealed the contest when Tete combined neatly with Josh King, but Jiménez could not find the target from close range.

The Cottagers ultimately held on to secure all three points, continuing their upward momentum.

What’s Next

Fulham will look to make it three consecutive league wins when they travel across London to face West Ham on Saturday. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, return to the City Ground for a daunting home fixture against Manchester City.