Raúl Jiménez was the hero for Fulham once again, scoring a dramatic late winner to condemn West Ham United to a damaging 1-0 defeat at the London Stadium, plunging the Hammers deeper into the Premier League relegation mire.
Late Drama Seals Victory for Cottagers
With just five minutes of normal time remaining and the match seemingly destined for a goalless draw, Raúl Jiménez rose to head home Harry Wilson's cross and snatch all three points for the visitors. It was the Mexican striker's second goal in as many games, following his winner against Nottingham Forest, and secured a third consecutive victory for Marco Silva's side.
The decisive moment came from a rare mistake by young West Ham defender Ollie Scarles, who miscued an attempted clearance, allowing Wilson to deliver the telling cross for Jiménez to convert. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the travelling Fulham supporters and left the home crowd in a state of stunned silence.
West Ham's Woes Continue at Home
For West Ham, managed by Nuno Espírito Santo, this result represents another severe blow in their fight for survival. The defeat means they have won just two home matches all season and have now lost their last six London derbies. More critically, they remain stuck five points adrift of safety, having failed to capitalise on Manchester City's earlier win over Nottingham Forest, which had presented a chance to close the gap.
The atmosphere inside the London Stadium turned toxic long before the final whistle, with home supporters holding up red cards and chanting "sack the board" in a continued protest against the club's ownership. On the pitch, the team's form is unequivocally that of a side in trouble, having taken only three points from their last seven Premier League outings.
Chances Missed Prove Costly
The match itself was a tense affair with chances at both ends. Fulham started brightly, with Jiménez curling an effort wide before Alphonse Areola produced a fine save to tip a Harry Wilson drive over the bar.
West Ham's best opportunities fell to their top scorer, Jarrod Bowen. He saw one angled shot saved by Bernd Leno in the first half and then, most glaringly, somehow scooped a close-range effort over the bar from Soungoutou Magassa's cross in the second period. Substitute Callum Wilson also spurned a chance after a powerful run, firing wide.
Fulham had their own moments, with Kevin and Sasa Lukic failing to connect with a dangerous low cross and Joachim Andersen forcing a save from Areola. Ultimately, it was one moment of quality and composure from the experienced Jiménez that separated the sides, lifting Fulham comfortably clear of immediate danger and leaving West Ham in a state of desperation.
