Bobb’s winner gives Fulham cup victory at West Ham

Oscar Bobb’s winner at the London Stadium – his first Fulham goal – secured a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

West Ham twice equalised, through Morato after Rodrigo Muniz’s opener, and then through Pablo after Cesar Palacios’ second goal in as many matches.

But Bobb, on as a substitute, took the Whites through with a lovely goal.

Fulham opened the scoring when Antonee Robinson slipped a clever pass through to Palacios, who pulled back a cross from the left-hand touchline for Muniz to head home from close range.

The lead lasted less than three minutes. Fulham managed to clear a left-wing corner, but when ball was recycled and delivered from the same flank, Konstantin Mavropanos at the back post headed across goal and Morato was on hand to nod in the equaliser.

The impressive Palaciois restored the lead with a classy goal, controlling with his chest after being found by Joachim Andersen’s long ball, and then scoring with a lovely finish beyond keeper Finlay Herrick.

Emile Smith Rowe should then have made it 3-1 but miskicked after being found unmarked by Robinson’s cross.

And Fulham were pegged back again in the final moments of the first half. Kyle Walker-Peters’ low cross was flicked towards goal by Mohamadou Kante, and after keeper Benjamin Leconte dived to his right and parried, Pablo tucked away the loose ball.

Fulham came under pressure in the second half – and Mavropanos missed a great chance to put the Championship side ahead when he headed wide from close range.

In the end, a triple substitution by Alvaro Arbeloa made all the difference.

The Whites boss rolled the dice, sending on Bobb, Josh King and Gonzalo Garcia, and it worked.

King nicked the ball off Kante, and Bobb then delightfully jinked his way into the box and slotted into the net.

There should have been a third Hammers equaliser. After being set up by Jarrod Bowen, Taty Castellanos looked certain to score, but his finish was overly casual and Timothy Castagne was able to clear off the line.

Fulham: Lecomte, Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson, Reed (Charles 63), Larsson (Manuel Angel 63), Smith Rowe (King 68), Kevin (Bobb 68), Muniz (Gonzalo 68), Palacios.
Subs not used: Leno, Affengruber, Bassey, Berge