Raul Jimenez's first-half penalty secured Fulham a 1-0 Premier League win against Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage.
Raul Jimenez scored the only goal as Fulham edged Nottingham Forest 1-0 at Craven Cottage. The decisive moment came in first-half stoppage time when Brazilian forward Kevin was fouled by Douglas Luiz inside the box. Jimenez calmly sent goalkeeper John Victor the wrong way, marking his third league goal of the season.
It was Fulham’s first Premier League penalty since January and Jimenez’s 11th from 11 attempts, matching Yaya Touré’s perfect record from six yards out.
The Cottagers were without several key players due to Africa Cup of Nations commitments. Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, and Calvin Bassey all missed the match, yet Marco Silva’s side adapted well.
Brazilian youth international Kevin impressed in his fourth league start, creating chances and drawing the foul that earned the penalty. Fulham’s defensive organisation, led by Joachim Andersen, limited Forest to just two shots on target across the 90 minutes. It was a scrappy match where there hosts themselves managed just a single shot on target.
Nottingham Forest started brightly but lacked the cutting edge to test Bernd Leno consistently. Early opportunities from Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White went astray, and Neco Williams’s attempts were either saved or wide.
Despite enjoying more possession in the second half, the visitors were restricted to long-range efforts, with little threat inside the box. Forest remain 17th, five points clear of the relegation zone, and failed to capitalise on Fulham’s relative squad rotation.
The first-half penalty was the match’s defining moment. Fulham’s Jimenez remained composed under pressure, reinforcing his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most clinical penalty takers.
Kevin’s creativity and movement kept Forest defenders on alert, while Andersen marshalled the backline effectively.
Forest’s Douglas Luiz and Igor Jesus showed glimpses of attacking intent but could not convert chances into goals. Fulham maintained discipline and limited mistakes in front of goal.
Fulham move up to 13th in the Premier League table, ten points clear of the bottom three. They return to action on Saturday, 27th December, against West Ham in a London derby. Fulham will look to build momentum with back-to-back wins.
Meanwhile, Forest aim to rediscover the sharpness that lifted them out of the relegation zone in recent weeks. Nottingham Forest host league leaders Manchester City in a tricky early kick-off the same day, seeking a response after a frustrating defeat at Craven Cottage. They’ll need to improve drastically if they are to get a positive result against Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing City.
