EPL : Chelsea Suffers Defeat as Fulham Dents Albion’s Unbeaten Run

By Sakiru Olopade

The first mid-week matches of the season were not without an upset as Chelsea surrendered one goal lead to Southampton after a brilliant display in the early stage of the encounter.

The game saw the Blues turning the heat on the home side but they were wasteful, failing to convert early chances.

However, in the 23rd minute, Raheem Sterling got the well deserved goal from a penetrating pass from the left side.

The visitors could have doubled the lead but poor marksmanship was their greatest undoing.

Romeo Lavia got the important equalizer for Southampton in the 28th minute with a fine shot that flied past Mendy from the edge of the penalty area.

At the stoppage time of the 1st half, the Saints split open the defense of the Blues with exchange of passes with Adam Armstrong, making good use of the space provided by the Blues backline to score the winning goal.

Thereafter, it was Southampton all the way in the second half with little resistance from Chelsea but the score line remained the same till the end of the encounter.

Meanwhile, at Craven Cottage, Fulham put paid to the unbeaten run of Brighton & Hove Albion with a 2–1 victory.

 

In a well deserved victory, the Fulham, meant business, outwitting the visitors in the mid-field for the better part of the encounter but they lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, scoring his 100th goal in Fulham’s colour, broke the deadlock in the 48th minute, firing a ferocious shot from the far post to register the 1st goal for the home side.

The Brighton lost the golden opportunity to level scores but Alexis Mac Allister lost the penalty after Pervis Estupinan was brought down in the vital area.

Lavis Dunk was on song in the 55th minute to register the second goal for the home side.

However, the consolatory goal for the visitors came in the 60th minute, bringing the proceedings to end by 2 goals to 1.