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Rediff.com  » Sports » Soccer PIX: Willian stars in Fulham win; Girona held

Soccer PIX: Willian stars in Fulham win; Girona held

November 28, 2023 10:27 IST
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All the action from soccer matches played in Europe on Monday.

Willian's penalty double earns Fulham 3-2 win over Wolves

Fulham's Inaki Williams celebrates scoring the match-winning goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Craven Cottage, London, on Monday

IMAGE: Fulham's Inaki Williams celebrates scoring the match-winning goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Craven Cottage, London, on Monday. Photograph: Premier League/X

Willian's 94th-minute spot kick, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday after a penalty-fuelled second half Wolves boss Gary O'Neil said had turned him against VAR.

 

Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson's cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa's legs from close range.

The visitors drew level on 22 minutes after brilliant play by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who beat Robinson twice down the right before finding Matheus Cunha unmarked to nod home.

Fulham regained the lead on 59 minutes through Willian's first penalty after a Nelson Semedo challenge on Tom Cairney was adjudged to be a foul, though there was minimal contact.

Hwang Hee-chan was then bundled over by Fulham captain Tim Ream on the edge of the box and levelled again from the spot on 75 minutes for his seventh league goal of the season.

But Joao Gomes' clumsy challenge on substitute Harry Wilson was given as a penalty by VAR late on, with Willian sending Sa the wrong way and Craven Cottage into raptures.

The win, the hosts' first in five league games, moved Fulham up to 14th in the standings on 15 points. Wolves remained 12th on the same number of points.

Wolves have been on the wrong side of VAR a number of times already this season and Wolves boss O'Neil said Monday's game may have "finally turned me against VAR".

He told Sky Sports he had spoken to referee Michael Salisbury after the game and the official had admitted he should have been sent to the VAR monitor over Fulham's first penalty.

O'Neil also told reporters he was of the opinion that Ream should have received a second yellow after giving away a penalty and Fulham's Carlos Vinicius should have been sent off for a headbutt on Max Kilman.

"You can argue that two of them could go against us but all four go against us. It's a tough one for the lads, supporters and myself to take. We've been here a lot this season. We didn't deserve that," O'Neil added.

Fulham boss Marco Silva told Sky Sports he believed the third and deciding spot kick was "a clear penalty", though he added "the first for us and the one for them were a little more soft."

Girona fail to reclaim LaLiga top spot after 1-1 draw against Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams celebrates scoring the equaliser against Girona on Tuesday

IMAGE: Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams celebrates scoring the equaliser against Girona on Tuesday. Photograph: LaLiga/X

Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams scored a second-half equaliser to hold Girona to a 1-1 draw in LaLiga on Monday, denying the Catalan side a return to the top spot.

Hosts Girona took the lead after the break when unmarked midfielder Viktor Tsygankov sent a low shot past Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon before Williams found a leveller in the 67th minute.

Girona are second in the standings on 35 points, level with leaders Real Madrid who enjoyed a 3-0 win at lowly Cadiz on Sunday.

Girona midfielder Yangel Herrera thought he opened the scoring with a header in the 28th minute after receiving a pass from Savio but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Bilbao were the better side in the first half and Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga helped keep the score goalless until halftime by denying attempts from Oihan Sancet, Oscar de Marcos and Dani Vivian.

But the visitors eventually found the net after the break when Williams scored from the edge of the box to cancel out Tsygankov's opener, ending Girona's run of five consecutive wins in the league.

Bilbao are fifth on 25 points from 14 games, six points behind fourth-placed Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in third, who have a game in hand.

Serie A: Bologna returns to winning ways

Bologna returned to winning ways when second-half goals from Giovanni Fabbian and Joshua Zirkzee beat Torino 2-0 in Serie A.

Bologna had gone 10 games without defeat before losing to Fiorentina before the international break. It has risen two places to sixth in the league.

Fabbian broke the deadlock for the home side after 56 minutes on Monday. The midfielder had a relatively easy finish after goalkeeper Luca Gemello committed himself outside the box. Although Torino defenders scrambled back to cover, Fabbian slotted the ball with aplomb.

Zirkee doubled their lead two minutes into injury time.

Earlier, Verona twice came from behind to salvage a point against Lecce in a pulsating 2-2 draw.

A point apiece meant Verona remained second from bottom on the table, while Lecce jumped one place to 13th.

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