Premier League GW18 - Fulham vs Burnley

Fulham vs Burnley | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge's incredible long-range goals gave Burnley a crucial 2-0 victory over Fulham in a thrilling match at Craven Cottage. With the victory, Burnley is now only three points adrift of safety and may move up out of the relegation zone.

Starting XI:

Fulham FC:

Leno, Castagne, Tosin, Bassey, Robinson (Ballo-Touré 82'), João Palhinha (Reed 82'), Cairney, Wilson, Andreas Pereira (De Cordova-Reid 65'), Iwobi, Rodrigo Muniz (Carlos Vinícius 64')

Subs: Rodák, Tete, Reed, Ballo-Touré, De Cordova-Reid, Lukić, Carlos Vinícius, Diop, Harris

Burnley:

Trafford, Vitinho, O'Shea, Beyer, Taylor, Bruun Larsen (Trésor 45'), Berge, Brownhill, Odobert (Roberts 80'), Foster (Rodríguez 65'), Amdouni (Redmond 80')

Subs: Rodríguez, Roberts, Redmond, Zaroury, Cullen, Trésor (Delcroix 89'), Delcroix, Obafemi, Muric

Craven Cottage Stadium | Picture Credits: Lineup For

First Half: Fulham Dominance and Goalkeeper Heroics

Fulham dominated the first half, setting the pace and forcing Burnley's goalkeeper James Trafford into a save to stop an Alex Iwobi deflected shot. The first forty-five minutes were goalless despite Fulham's attacking strength, which set the tone for an exciting second half.

Second Half: Odobert's Stunner and Berge's Debut Goal

Just 86 seconds into the second half, Wilson Odobert, in brilliant form, played a swift one-two with Lyle Foster, setting up a dramatic turn in the story. What happened next was sheer magic: Bernd Leno of Fulham was left rooted to the spot by Odobert's incredible curving strike that nestled into the top-right corner. The revellers at Craven Cottage were dumbfounded by the genius that revealed itself.

In the 66th minute, Burnley's momentum was further increased when Sander Berge, who was making an impression on the team, went on a solo run into the middle of the pitch. Gazing determinedly, Berge struck the bottom-left corner with a strong low shot that doubled Burnley's advantage and completed a historic occasion for the Norwegian midfield player.

With two goals behind them, Fulham attempted to find a way to draw even, and Timothy Castagne almost scored with a near-post shot that Trafford bravely stopped. Burnley's defense held strong to earn a vital third victory and their second clean sheet of the year.

Burnley's Ascent, Fulham's Setback

With 11 points from the victory, Burnley climbs to 19th place and gets closer to safety. Fulham, on the other hand, suffered a setback following an early dominating performance, falling to 12th place with 21 points. Rebecca Welch, who refereed this game and became the first female referee of a Premier League match, will go down in history. In the next matchups, Fulham's pursuit of consistency and Burnley's comeback will surely influence the storyline. Craven Cottage saw a night of milestones and brightness till the next time.

Both teams struggled to score in the first half | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Odobert scored a goal and gave Burnley a 1-0 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Berge's goal doubled Burnley's lead to 2-0 | Picture Credits: Premier League Website