Iwobi’s assist not enough in Fulham loss

Alex Iwobi’s assist proved insufficient as Fulham suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion after conceding a stoppage-time penalty at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

The Nigeria international, who has been in sparkling form this season, set up Raul Jimenez’s opener with a pinpoint cross that the Mexican controlled brilliantly on his chest before volleying home at the far post.

However, Brighton struck back just six minutes later through Jan Paul van Hecke before Joao Pedro’s last-gasp penalty secured all three points for the hosts, strengthening their push for Champions League qualification.

The defeat was particularly painful for Fulham, who had not lost against Brighton in their previous nine encounters. Marco Silva’s men remain ninth in the table, now five points behind their victors who climbed to sixth place, just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City who occupy the final guaranteed Champions League spot.

Both teams showed signs of fatigue in a largely uneventful first half, having each played 120 minutes when securing their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals last Sunday. Fulham had impressively knocked out Manchester United while Brighton overcame Newcastle United.

The Seagulls showed slight improvement after the break and had two goals ruled out for offside before eventually grabbing their dramatic winner in added time.

Despite the disappointing result, Iwobi continues to be one of Fulham’s standout performers this season with his creative output reaching new heights.

The 28-year-old now boasts an impressive tally of seven goals and four assists in 28 Premier League appearances this campaign.

The Nigerian has established himself as one of Silva’s most trusted players, accumulating among the highest minutes played in the Fulham squad.

Fulham will now look to bounce back from this disappointing defeat as they continue their pursuit of European qualification, with Iwobi’s consistent performances likely to be crucial to their chances of securing continental football next season.

The Cottagers face a quick turnaround as they prepare for their FA Cup quarter-final tie next weekend, where they will hope to put this setback behind them and continue their impressive cup run.