Fulham vs Wigan Athletic. Sky Bet Championship.
Craven CottageAttendance15,552.
Saturday 11 February 2017 19:04, UK
Neeskens Kebano grabbed a stoppage-time winner as Fulham hit back to stun struggling Wigan 3-2 in the Sky Bet Championship match at Craven Cottage.
Floyd Ayite put the hosts ahead on 25 minutes, only for a Scott Malone own goal and Michael Jacobs' strike on the stroke of half-time to turn the match on its head. However, Denis Odoi equalised in the 71st minute and Kebano sealed a dramatic comeback with the 93rd-minute winner.
The home side started the stronger of the two teams, although both Stefan Johansen and visiting goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard needed lengthy treatment after clashing with each other.
Wigan were seemingly content to defend in the early stages, but mustered their first effort of the game on 22 minutes when, fresh from his two midweek goals against Norwich, Omar Bogle took a free-kick from outside the box which flew straight into the arms of Fulham goalkeeper David Button.
In a game that badly needed a goal, the Cottagers made the breakthrough on 25 minutes. Sone Aluko powered his way to the Wigan byline and produced a low cross for Ayite to sweep home his fifth goal of the season.
The visitors almost equalised immediately in strange circumstances as, with Button inexplicably out of his goalmouth, Bogle robbed defender Tim Ream in the box only to send his effort wide of the returning goalkeeper.
Wigan did pull level on 32 minutes, when a cross by Stephen Warnock was turned into his own net by Malone.
Johansen went close with three minutes of the half left when his run down the right and cross just failed to connect with a Fulham player.
Jacobs was able to get on the end of a cross that gave Wigan the lead in first-half stoppage time, though, Max Power the provider from the left.
The visitors were forced to change their goalkeeper at half-time, with Matt Gilks replacing the injured Haugaard.
Bogle nearly added a third on 52 minutes when he turned and fired in the box, but Button was able to stick out a leg to block his effort.
The home team were level 19 minutes from time, however, when Odoi struck an excellent 25-yard effort. Button was forced down low to palm away a Jacobs shot two minutes later, before a run by Callum Connolly in stoppage time failed to yield any joy for Wigan.
Back at the other end, the match was soon sealed in the hosts' favour when Kebano slotted home in third minute of added time to secure all three points.
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic:
"I can be proud about my team on one hand that we scored goals and won the game, but on the other hand I am really disappointed with some parts of the game. We have to be more solid, we did not show enough of a good attitude, and we did not play well without the ball.
"At 1-1 it can be a simple lottery, they can win the game too. Then we scored the goals and we go home satisfied with the points. But I am not satisfied with what we offered today."
Wigan boss Warren Joyce:
"It's bitterly disappointing, we didn't deserve to lose. At 2-1 we were comfortable, really. It was a rush of blood, the free-kick for Fulham's equaliser was avoidable. It was a silly free-kick to give away. It was a long way out but we were not organised. It was a poor goal to give away.
"It didn't rattle us, we kept going even though the home crowd is up for it, and I still think we had good opportunities."