Ivan Toney scored his 22nd penalty goal to help Brentford produce one of the high-scoring football scores of the weekend in the Premier League. Ethan Pinnock’s deflected shot (6) in an exciting first half was Brentford’s fastest-ever Premier League goal, but they could have hit the net numerous times by then after a quick start to the derby. Bryan Mbeumo had brushed a post with a free-kick in the opening moments, and Toney had clipped the bar with his own set-piece strike later in the half. But fate smiled to Fulham as Andreas Pereira’s free-kick rebounded off the post, allowing Adam Solomon to score his fifth goal in five games in all competitions in his first Premier League appearance (39).
On the stroke of half-time, Sasa Lukic, who had returned to the pitch after Toney had caught him in the face with his boot, tripped Yoane Wissa but was not awarded a second yellow card. Issa Diop could not escape punishment when he caught Christian Norgaard’s boot in the box after the restart, and Toney – flawless from the spot in 10 Premier League tries – rolled home his 15th goal of the season (53). He almost got another when he tried to lob Bernd Leno from the center circle, but it was Mathias Jensen who clinched the win and extended Brentford’s Premier League unbeaten streak to 12 games.
Deep into stoppage time (90+9), Carlos Vinicius converted a rebound from Pereira’s shot, but it was too little, too late for Fulham. That was Fulham’s first league defeat since November, and with confidence running through this Brentford side, Marco Silva’s men have the in-form Bees buzzing right behind them in the race for a surprise European spot.
Brentford were starving after 16 days without a game and could have scored three times before Pinnock found the net. Toney put Leno to the test, and Mbeumo missed a close-range sitter before having his low attempt from a tight angle well saved. Fulham was in a frenzy, behind with only five minutes and 37 seconds remaining. Aaron Hickey’s sliced shot found Pinnock, whose dig was deflected by Tim Ream, leaving Leno with no chance. As the home crowd rejoiced, a red flare was fired onto the pitch.
Soon after, Mbeumo grazed the post from a free-kick, and they were almost cheering again. Fulham finally got their foot on the ball after that, but despite their possession, they couldn’t find a way through. Brentford, on the other hand, posed a threat anytime they attacked, with Toney brushing the bar from another free kick. As the half came to a close, Pereira got in on the act, firing his own free-kick against the woodwork, and on this occasion, the ball rebounded back nicely for Solomon to nod home and continue his remarkable scoring streak.
Just before the break, Lukic escaped with a second yellow card after tripping Wissa as the Brentford forward broke away. The Serbian had a serious cut on his face by then from Toney’s foot to the head, but he may still consider himself fortunate. After the break, Fulham sought to continue up where they left off, with Pereira volleying a difficult volley wide from close range, but after Diop was penalized for beating Norgaard to a loose ball in the area, Toney scored his 22nd Brentford penalty to swing the game back in the home side’s favor.
Toney, full of confidence, nearly caught Leno out on the halfway line, but it was substituted Schade who supplied the third – and ultimately important – intervention, sprinting around Robinson to drag the ball back for Jensen. Brentford fans were temporarily quiet when Vinicius pounced on a parried Pereira shot deep into stoppage time, but the final whistle blew seconds later to confirm a thrilling derby triumph that could be pivotal in their season.
“It is, of course, unique. As I already stated to the players, this is the most important derby for us in the Premier League. It’s even more impressive versus Fulham. There have been a number of fascinating games between the teams in recent years, so it meant something extra, especially for the fans,” Brentford boss Thomas Frank said. “We dream, and we are permitted to dream. It is critical that we aspire as high as possible. There have been ups and downs, but things are looking up. Yet, as a head coach, you are always on the lookout for the next threat. We’re going to Everton, where people are battling for their life, and it’s going to be extremely difficult.”
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