Iwobi’s spark turns the tide as Fulham topple Brentford 3-1 in the derby

A rousing west London derby swung decisively Fulham’s way as Alex Iwobi delivered a goal and an assist in a 3-1 comeback win over Brentford at Craven Cottage. The visitors struck first when Mikkel Damsgaard seized on an errant pass from 18-year-old Josh King and finished calmly, but Fulham responded with conviction and control.

Iwobi levelled before threading a delicious pass for Harry Wilson to turn the game on its head inside 98 seconds, and an Ethan Pinnock own goal early in the second half gave Marco Silva’s side breathing room. Rodrigo Muniz’s thunderous fourth was later scrubbed by VAR for a foul in the buildup, yet Fulham were already in command. The result marked Fulham’s second Premier League victory of the season and lifted them to seventh, while Brentford slipped to 17th amid a worrying run of dropped leads on the road.

A 98-second whirlwind that redrew the derby

Fulham’s equaliser owed something to persistence and Brentford hesitancy. After Sasa Lukic’s effort ballooned into a crowded box, the loose ball sat up for Iwobi, who stayed composed and drove a low finish that skidded through the legs of Brentford captain Nathan Collins and beyond Caoimhin Kelleher.

Craven Cottage barely had time to settle before the hosts surged ahead. Collins misjudged a header, Rodrigo Muniz pounced to carry the ball forward, and Iwobi looked up to pick a pass that sliced through the Bees’ back line. Wilson, driving infield from the right, met it first time with his left foot to steer past Kelleher. In the span of two minutes, belief and momentum swung emphatically towards Fulham.

Silva’s tweaks trump Andrews’ plan

This was as much about structure as it was about individual quality. Silva adjusted his wide roles, asking Wilson to stifle Keane Lewis-Potter down Brentford’s right while encouraging Iwobi to dovetail with Ryan Sessegnon on the opposite flank. It injected zip into a Fulham side that had been short of open‑play thrust, and it blunted the visitors’ preference for limiting chances and leaning on set-piece moments.

The third goal arrived five minutes after the restart and encapsulated the shift. Sessegnon’s left-footed cross, whipped across the six-yard corridor, forced uncertainty in the Brentford defence and a stooping Pinnock could only deflect off his shoulder blades into his own net. It was harsh on the defender, who had precious little time to adjust, but it reflected Fulham’s territorial grip.

VAR drama, then a composed close

Muniz thought he had added a spectacular fourth with a fierce angled half-volley that Kelleher could not stop, but referee Michael Oliver overturned the goal after a VAR review highlighted a coming together with Collins that left the Brentford defender bleeding from the mouth. The decision spared the Bees a heavier margin without altering the direction of travel.

Brentford introduced changes in search of a lifeline yet struggled to turn possession into jeopardy. They registered five efforts after the interval, two on target, but Bernd Leno was rarely forced into taxing saves. It continued a pattern that will concern Keith Andrews: eight points now lost from winning positions and three away defeats from three to start his tenure.

For Fulham, the night underlined a broader progression. The hosts mixed adventure with control, leaned on Iwobi’s intelligence in transition, and then closed the game with Silva’s trademark organisation—an assured response to an early mistake and a statement in the west London pecking order.

Context around the fixture only sharpened the significance. Fulham’s second league win in a week was achieved against local rivals who have often proved awkward opponents, while Brentford, whose plan to restrict and counter has carried them well in recent seasons, were undone by indecision at key moments.

The derby may not define either campaign, but it did draw sharp lines: Fulham found fluency and resilience when it mattered; Brentford had the start they wanted but could not manage the swing that followed.