Fulham and Bournemouth played out a 1-1 draw in their top-of-the-table clash at Craven Cottage. The Cottagers will remain top of the table as they were held to a draw by Bournemouth in an absorbing game.
Tosin Adarabioyo’s 84th-minute equalizer ensured Fulham remain top of the table.
Bournemouth top scorer Dominic Solanke gave the away side a 1-0 lead just 7 seconds into the second half. But Adarabioyo’s late goal canceled out the opener to secure a point for his team.
Both teams now have three consecutive draws to their names. This will come as good news to the teams below them.
Fulham and Bournemouth were running away with the top two spots, but dropping points in three consecutive games have somewhat opened the door for other teams.
As of now, there are just 6 points separating 2nd place Bournemouth and 3rd place West Bromwich Albion.
Fulham thoroughly deserved to get at least one point out of the game. They were arguably the better side over the 90 minutes.
The home side dominated possession and controlled the majority of the game but failed to convert some of their chances.
Fulham vs Bournemouth: How the game unfolded
Scott Parker got a rather mixed reception by his former club. The Englishman failed to claim all 3 points on the night. He had to manage with just the 1.
Fulham dominated the first half and should have gone into halftime with a lead.
Bournemouth had a decent start to the game as they created the first chance of the game. Adam Smith received the ball from Mercondes after a purposeful run down the middle. Adam Smith shifted the ball on his right foot to take a low strike straight at the Fulham keeper.
The home side then came in and took hold of the game. Kebano saw two shots saved by the Cherries keeper before halftime.
The Cottagers also had a penalty appeal turned down in the 39th minute. Harry Wilson made his way into the Bournemouth penalty area through the right-hand side and Solanke made a challenge to stop him which looked like a 50-50. The referee did not think there was enough contact in it to point at the spot.
At the stroke of half-time, Steve Cook put his body on the line to make two heroic blocks off the shots of Mitrovic and Carvalho in a matter of seconds. It certainly looked like Fulham was gonna take the lead through one of these shots. But Cook had other ideas.
The game ended level on half time.
Bournemouth restarted the game in a fabulous manner as they executed a training ground move to perfection. They scored right from the kick-off after a well-choreographed move saw Billing ping a ball over the Fulham defense side into Solanke who held off Denis Odoi to finish emphatically into the top corner for his 17th of the season.
Scott Parker would be proud of that goal. Certainly a goal of the season nominee.
The Cherries could not hold on to their early lead though as they succumbed to the relentless pressure created by Fulham.
They finally conceded a goal in the 84th minute when Fulham defender Adarabioyo met Cairney’s stunning cross to head home the equalizer. An unlikely goal scorer for Fulham.
The game deserved a winner but it was not meant to be.
What next?
Fulham reclaims their throne on the top of the table for now at least. They remain 1 point clear of Bournemouth. The Cottagers continue their unbeaten streak to 10 games. But they will want to get back to winning ways and make sure to clinch the championship title.
They play their next game against Luton Town on Saturday.
The Cherries have failed to win any of their last four matches, drawing three and losing one. They really need to start getting results again to avoid slipping into a knock-off spot.
Their next game is a tricky one against 4th placed Blackburn Rovers.
Follow us on Twitter for regular Football updates.
