Fulham booked their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after Oscar Bobb’s brilliant individual effort earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over West Ham at the London Stadium.
The Norwegian was summoned from the bench by Alvaro Arbeloa with his side chasing the winning goal, and it took him less than 10 minutes to deliver, a lovely jinking run through the home side’s defence before finishing inside the near post.
Both managers fielded strong line-ups in east London and it was a competitive cup tie that saw the Hammers more than hold their own against Premier League opposition, albeit four of the starting XI had played for Nuno Espirito Santo during their relegation season.
Rodrigo Muniz headed in for Fulham in the 13th minute before a quick response from Morato brought West Ham level.
Cesar Palacios rolled the ball in after 37 minutes to restore the visitors’ advantage but Pablo squeezed in an equaliser in first-half stoppage time.
A cagey second half followed before Bobb’s brilliance tipped the balance, though Fulham owed much to a late goal-line clearance from Timothy Castagne to deny Taty Castellanos.
Arbeloa’s side led early. Antonee Robinson was left in too much space out near the left touchline, and nobody went with the overlapping run of Palacios, leaving the midfielder all the time he needed to pick out the unmarked Muniz who headed in.
The lead lasted less than three minutes. Fulham failed to properly clear a corner and the ball fell at the feet of Arne Engels who sent over a lovely cross to the back post, headed back across goal by Konstantinos Mavropanos and in by Morato.
Only a last-ditch recovering tackle from Kyle Walker-Peters prevented Palacios going clean through on goal and getting a shot away.
The midfielder, though, would have his goal. Within a minute he was presented with another chance, West Ham’s defence parting far too easily from Joachim Andersen’s long ball over the top, and Palacios darted in to finish coolly past Finlay Herrick.
Muniz ought to have extended Fulham’s lead in the final minute of the half but he was denied by Herrick as the young goalkeeper – making his second first-team appearance – raced from his goal.
Instead, West Ham were level by the break.
With the final action of the half, Mohamadou Kante’s clever back-heel was brilliantly kept out by the reach of Benjamin Lecomte, but Fulham failed to clear the danger. As the ball broke loose inside the box, there arriving at a tight angle was Pablo to slam it home.
Jarrod Bowen came off the bench and crossed for Pablo who came within inches of making contact and putting the home side in front.
It was Bowen again the creator with an inswinging corner from the right that was met by Mavropanos six yards out, but the defender’s header dropped a foot wide.
Penalties seemed the likely outcome until Bobb’s fabulous individual run and finish won it for Fulham.
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