Newcastle and Fulham played out a dramatic match at St. James' Park, with the latter coming from behind to win 2-1. The Cottagers showed grit and command in the second half to pull off an important victory that keeps them in the running for positions higher up the table.
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First half evenly balanced with few clear chances
Newcastle started with more possession, trying to push the Cottagers back. Very active on the wings, Jacob Murphy created the first big opportunity, striking on target with accuracy to open the scoring. The reaction was timid from Fulham's side, who struggled to create any kind of danger, although Adama Traoré and Raúl Jiménez did try.
They may have been two goals in front heading into the break but Bernd Leno was up for crucial stops, denying the Magpies of going further in front while Sandro Tonali almost made things worse for the homteam, hitting the upright with a fine long-range shot.
Fulham steps it up and gains the initiative
Coming into the second half, Fulham's transformation was clear. They took control, moving the ball quickly and finding spaces within Newcastle more effectively. The equalizer came from a play started by Raúl Jiménez, who picked up an interception, advanced, and found Antonee Robinson on the left. On the left, Robinson's cross found Jiménez again inside the box, and the forward fired a half-volley with a slight deflection helping it past Dubravka.
Newcastle felt the blow and tried to respond, but they ran into an organized Fulham in defense. Marco Silva introduced some changes to keep the intensity higher, and Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz's entrances into the attack seemed to add renewed dynamism. In the final few minutes, Andreas floated in a tight free-kick that allowed Muniz just enough room to brush past Dubravka to seal the comeback.
A win able to turn this season's tide: with the result, Fulham reached 36 points and reduced the gap with fifth place-which Newcastle still holds onto-to 41. Victory reflected how much this team has improved with Marco Silva, once again mentioning how their attacking spirit finished the match well, committed players to the fore.
"Our second half was outstanding, we increased intensity, pressed much better, neutralized their game. It's a very strong collective response."
This result bolsters confidence and keeps alive their ambition of a strong finish for Fulham this season. And Marco Silva goes on to again stress the balance and competitiveness in his team: "We want to build something solid, not just win games. We have shown that we do have an identity and are capable of competing at a high level of standard.”