Fulham 1-2 Chelsea: Pedro Neto injury-time screamer renews Blues' Champions League hopes | OneFootball

A pair of late Chelsea goals denied Fulham a first-ever league double over Chelsea

Winner: Pedro Neto

REUTERS

Pedro Neto scored a stunning injury-time winner to complete Chelsea’s comeback derby win over Fulham to revitalise their dreams of Champions League qualification.

At half time, it seemed as though that would be the case after Reece James had his pocket picked by Ryan Sessegnon with 20 minutes on the clock. The Brit picked out Alex Iwobi, who finished coolly to put Fulham ahead early.

Tyrique George equalised with his first Premier League goal

Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Chelsea struggled to drag themselves back into the game, and they looked to be destined for another loss, but the tide changed after the halftime break. Whether Chelsea improved or Fulham worsened is up for debate, but it was the visitors who were enjoying the better of the play, let down only by their finishing for long stretches.

It would take until the 83rd minute for Chelsea to open their account. Tyrique George received the ball on the edge of the Fulham penalty area and caught Bernd Leno out with a stinging first-time finish to equalise. It was just his second senior goal, and his first in the Premier League.

After the turgid first half, Chelsea might have been happy enough to take the one point home, but Neto took matters into his own hands in injury time. Waiting on the edge of the box, he flicked Enzo Fernandez’s misplaced cross off the ground before spinning 180 degrees to rifle his shot home.

The win sees Chelsea move back into fifth place and will be a significant morale boost for the struggling Blues ahead of a Conference League semi-final tie against Djurgårdens.