Pedro Neto late strike clinches comeback win for Chelsea at Fulham

By Reuben Rosso-Powell, PA

Pedro Neto fired a spectacular winner in stoppage time as Chelsea’s late show secured a 2-1 win over west-London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Substitute Tyrique George grabbed an equaliser seven minutes from time to cancel out Alex Iwobi’s 20th-minute strike.

Then Neto’s half-volley clinched a victory that took the Blues above Forest on goal difference in the battle to secure Champions League football.

The result will alleviate some of the pressure on under-fire manager Enzo Maresca.

Raul Jimenez dominating Chelsea’s Levi Colwill in the air was a common theme early on as Fulham mounted pressure.

Then Chelsea skipper Reece James was caught in possession by Fulham’s press and, after Ryan Sessegnon drove forward, his pass to Iwobi saw the Nigeria international use his weaker left foot to find the bottom left corner from the edge of the area.

Chelsea’s lack of confidence was clear to see but they did create a handful of chances which a striker in a better form than nine-goal man Nicolas Jackson could have converted.

The first came a minute before Iwobi’s strike when Noni Madueke’s ball across the box was touched by Jackson into the hands of Bernd Leno. The Senegal striker was then caught on his heels in the area despite an inch-perfect delivery from Neto.

Maresca turned to the bench at half-time with Jadon Sancho coming on for Madueke but the changes initially failed to spark his side into life.

A speculative effort by another substitute Malo Gusto was all the Blues truly had to show for themselves by the hour mark.

Fulham on the other hand remained strong and resolute. The physical prowess of Sander Berge and Calvin Bassey snapped up loose balls against Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer as they gave their rivals little or no space to attack in behind their deep block.

Manager Marco Silva brought on Harry Wilson late on to inject energy but it was 19-year-old Chelsea substitute George who made the impact.

The teenager connected with a half-volley on the edge of the area to open his league account in the 83rd minute to get Chelsea back into the match.

Chelsea had momentum now. They needed something special though to snatch a comeback win. It came three minutes into added time from big money summer signing Neto, who spun on the half turn and leathered in a winner to send the away end into raptures.