MX23RW : Thursday, March 7 10:07:31
Mar 3, 2019 at 2.05pm UK at ​Craven Cottage
Attendance: 24,900
Fulham
1-2
Chelsea
Chambers (27')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Higuain (20'), Jorginho (31')

Live Commentary: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live coverage of the Premier League encounter between Fulham and Chelsea.
Live Commentary: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea - as it happened
© Reuters

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Fulham and Chelsea.

The Cottagers have opted for a change in the dugout with Scott Parker replacing Claudio Ranieri, and the ex-midfielder finds himself taking on his former club.

Maurizio Sarri finds himself under pressure at Stamford Bridge, but the Italian has witnessed his side impress against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur over the past seven days.

Chelsea prevailed by a 2-0 scoreline when these two teams met late in 2018.


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2pmHello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Fulham and Chelsea. Scott Parker takes charge of his first game as caretaker boss of Fulham against his former club, who have found themselves in the headlines lately for a variety of reasons. The two teams are making their way out at Craven Cottage so let's see who features in each starting lineup...

2.02pmFULHAM XI: Rico; Odoi, Nordtveit, Ream, Bryan; Chambers, McDonald; Babel, Cairney, Sessegnon; Mitrovic

2.04pmCHELSEA XI: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Christensen, Palmieri; Kante, Jorginho, Barkley; Willian, Higuain, Hazard

1 minKICKOFF:  Fulham get us underway!

3 minIt has been a patient start from Chelsea who are prepared to spray the ball about with a certain degree of urgency in the middle third of the pitch.

5 minThe first opportunity goes to Chelsea. A cross from Kante finds Higuain around 14 yards out, but the Argentine glances a header well wide of the target.

7 minFulham hit straight back. Cairney sees a shot blocked inside the area, but the ball falls invitingly for Bryan who curls a shot wide of the target from 30 yards out.

9 minBoth teams are looking lively when they are on the ball. Parker seems to have instruct his Fulham side to target both flanks.

11 minChelsea are looking to get Higuain in behind the Fulham defence when they can, but it is doubtful whether the forward is going to win a foot race with any of the home side's backline.

13 minThis game doesn't really feel like a derby encounter, but the Fulham fans are warming into this one. Parker will be pleased with the start from his team.

14 minChelsea once again try to to get Higuain involved in the play but on this occasion, the January arrival has a shot on the turn blocked by a defender.

16 minThe visitors have just attempted their first press of the afternoon and it almost leads to Kane winning the ball. However, Ream gets the better of the Frenchman with his challenge.

18 minWe have not seen much of Hazard in these early stages, but the Belgian does well on the edge of the area before finding Barkley. The Englishman attempts to find the far top corner, but his 20-yard strikes goes off target.

20 minGOAL!  Fulham 0-1 Chelsea (Gonzalo Higuain)

20 minGOAL!  Chelsea have the lead and Higuain has his third goal in a Blues shirt. Azpilicueta delivered a low cross for the forward, whose first-time volley went into the bottom corner of Rico's net.

22 minChambers goes into the book for a cynical tug on Willian on the halfway line.

24 minFulham have responded positively to going behind, but there will still be that thought of one goal quickly becoming two. It has been the story of their season.

26 minThis is a really good save from Arrizabalaga. A cross from the left is deflected for Mitrovic, who sees a perfectly-struck volley tipped over the bar by the recalled goalkeeper.

27 minGOAL!  Fulham 1-1 Chelsea (Calum Chambers)

27 minGOAL!  Fulham are level! They play the corner short but Babel then whips in an inswinging cross for Chambers, who is free at the back post and volleys past Arrizabalaga from eight yards out.

29 minFulham have their tails up now and Chelsea look extremely nervy at the back. This is now turning into a big test of character for Chelsea.

31 minGOAL!  Fulham 1-2 Chelsea (Jorginho)

31 minGOAL!  What a response. Hazard picks up the ball on the edge of the area before teeing up Jorginho, who sends a first-team effort into the top corner from 20 yards. Brilliant strike!

33 minChelsea should be further ahead. Higuain finally beats the offside trap and one touch to control gives him the chance to score from 14 yards. However, the forward can only blast his shot high over the crossbar.

35 minIn all fairness, Fulham are still not taking a backwards step. They feel that Chelsea are vulnerable at the back, but they are giving away more opportunities than they were in the early stages.

37 minHiguain has received criticism since joining Chelsea, but the Blues look much better with the Juventus loanee in the team. Hazard almost benefits from a clever pass from his teammate, but a Fulham defender makes a timely block.

40 minJust the five minutes to go until the break. This first half has flown by! Neither team will want it to end because each are having some joy.

41 minCHANCE!  How big could this save be at the end of the match? Hazard breaks through on the left-hand side of the penalty area, but his low strike is kept out by a strong left hand from Rico.

43 minFulham have started to have to deal with much more in their own defensive third. Chelsea are beginning to play with a swagger, but they will want a third goal as soon as possible.

45 minThere will be two minutes of added-on time.

45+1 minRico makes yet another excellent save. It's almost a replica of the first goal with Azpilicueta teeing up Higuain, but Rico gets down to his left to keep the ball out.

45+2 minHALF TIME:  Fulham 1-2 Chelsea

2.55pmThe half-time whistle goes at Craven Cottage and goals from Higuain and Jorginho have given Chelsea a 2-1 lead at the break. However, Fulham remain in this contest and have provided the visitors with plenty of problems.

46 minKICKOFF:  Chelsea get us back underway! No changes for either side.

48 minSAVE!  The visitors have gone straight onto the front foot, and Rico has to deal with a long-range effort from Hazard. It came as a result of a well-construct team move. It may have even been 'Sarri-ball'.

50 minSAVE!  Chelsea are really knocking on the door here. It is Willian's turn to try his luck, with a low drive towards the near post being smothered by Rico.

52 minReam goes into the book for tripping Willian as the Brazilian attempted to go through the gears in the middle of the pitch.

54 minCHANCE!  Yet another chance for Chelsea. A long ball finds Willian on the far side of the penalty area, but the winger volleys the ball into the side-netting.

55 minPENALTY APPEAL!  Chelsea now want a penalty for handball inside the area, but a cross from the right was struck towards the hand of Ream, rather than the American doing anything that he shouldn't.

57 minThis is good from Barkley. You don't normally associate the Englishman with tracking back, but he does just that to dispossess Sessegnon on the flank.

59 minYet another opening for Chelsea. Hazard surges past Odoi inside the area, but the Belgian cannot pick out a teammate in the middle.

60 minMitrovic takes the opportunity to try his luck with a shot from 20 yards, but the ball fizzes marginally over Arrizabalaga's crossbar. The goalkeeper wasn't saving that if it was on target.

62 minJorginho is the first Chelsea player to be cautioned for a lunge on Sessegnon. The Italian gets some of the ball, but does make contact with the youngster's ankle.

63 minSUBSTITUTION! Fulham make a change with Anguissa coming on for McDonald.

65 minIt is Fulham's turn to go on the front foot. Arrizabalaga has not been forced into another save, but Chelsea are starting to struggle to deal with the threat which is coming their way.

67 minFulham really have look impressive going forward this afternoon. Cairney is the player to get a shot away on this occasion, but Arrizabalaga parries his 20-yard effort wide of the target.

68 minSUBSTITUTION! Interesting change from Sarri. Jorginho is being replaced by Kovacic.

70 minThis is naughty from Bryan, who trips Willian after the whistle has gone. There is no action from the referee, and Sarri is not pleased in the slightest.

72 minSUBSTITUTION! Fulham make a second switch with Ayite taking the place of Babel.

73 minSAVE!  Yet another save to add to the collection for both goalkeepers. Bryan attempts to curl the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards, but Arrizabalaga gets across to push the ball away.

74 minSUBSTITUTION! Sarri reacts by making a second alteration as Pedro replaces Hazard.

76 minChelsea have improved over the last couple of minutes, but the momentum remains with Fulham who really fancy their chances of finding an equaliser.

78 minSUBSTITUTION! Chelsea's final switch sees Loftus-Cheek replace Barkley.

80 minSUBSTITUTION! Fulham follow suit by introducing Vietto for Cairney.

82 minThere are less than 10 minutes to go at Craven Cottage. This game remains very much in the balance. This would be massive for Chelsea if they can hang on to all three points.

84 minWe are going to have a break in play while Christensen receives treatment for a head injury. The Dane did well to challenge Chambers for a high ball, and it helped Arrizabalaga get his hands on it.

86 minLoftus-Cheek should do better here. It is initially a fine piece of skill from the substitute as he entered the area, but he does not take the chance to get a shot away and the opening is lost.

88 minFulham had gone off the boil, but the pace of Ayite changes that. The substitute gets into the penalty before a flicked cross finds Mitrovic, but Arrizabalaga makes another fine save to his lift to keep the Serbian's header out.

90 minThere will be five minutes of added-on time. It will probably be longer than that with Bryan having just received treatment for a head injury after being caught by Kante.

90+2 minAnguissa has now caught Willian in the ribs and there is another stoppage. I'd say that we still have four minutes to go.

90+4 minSessegnon has the ball in the net after a knockdown, but the youngster was half-a-yard offside as he converted from close range.

90+5 minFulham win a free kick inside the Chelsea half. One last chance...

90+6 minMitrovic concedes a foul in the area and that should be that.

90+6 minFULL TIME:  Fulham 1-2 Chelsea

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Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in action during the EFL Cup final against Manchester City on February 24, 2019
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City29232476205671
2Liverpool29217164154970
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs29201856302661
4Manchester UnitedMan Utd29177558382058
5Arsenal29176661392257
6Chelsea28175649301956
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29127103735243
8Watford29127104141043
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham29116123741-439
10Everton29107123939037
11Leicester CityLeicester29105143541-635
12Bournemouth29104153954-1534
13Crystal Palace2996143539-433
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2987142636-1031
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2886143041-1130
16Burnley2986153253-2130
17Southampton2969143249-1727
18Cardiff CityCardiff2974182557-3225
19Fulham2945202765-3817
20Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2935211551-3614

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