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Kovacic and Doku Star as City Beat Fulham in 3-2 Thriller at the Etihad

Explore the highlights of City’s exhilarating 3-2 win against Fulham, featuring standout performances from Kovacic and Doku at the Etihad Stadium.

Introduction:

Mateo Kovacic scored his first Premier League double as Manchester City came from behind to record a 3-2 victory over Fulham at the Etihad Stadium. The win keeps City one point behind league leaders Liverpool, who won earlier today. All in all, City’s win was hard-won as Fulham proved resilient and nearly forced a late draw.
See also: Manchester City Held at St James’ Park as Gordon’s Penalty Seals 1-1 Draw: Premier League

Fulham off to a flying start and take the lead

A bit of an early scare in that Fulham countered strongly. Only five minutes were on the clock when Adama Traore quickly broke off on a swift counter-attacking move, only to be checked by Ederson’s sharp-cut save. Then fired up by this, Fulham scored the opener in the 26th minute. A delightful backheel from Raul Jimenez set Andreas Pereira up to volley home close-range and sent the Etihad crowd into shock.

Kovacic
Image Source: Premier League

The Cottagers were no less adventurous and had more opportunities to increase the lead with Traore missing an important chance. His shot from close distance flew over the bar, and the hook to let City off was swallowed. This wasted chance would go down in history as costing Fulham the match, which City capitalized on just minutes later.
See also: Saliba’s Red Card Costs Arsenal in 2-0 Defeat to Bournemouth: Premier League

Kovacic
Image Source: Premier League

Kovacic Brings City Level

Until the 32nd minute, Manchester City were on the back foot till then. Kovacic equalized it for Manchester City in the 32nd minute when a kindly broken corner kick left him no other choice but to strike it forcefully after it was deflected off Joachim Andersen, which managed to squeeze itself in.

With the game level at 1-1, the tide turned back in City’s favor, and Kovacic was not yet finished. He capped the comeback two minutes into the second half, finishing a good pass from Bernardo Silva. Kovacic’s composed finish past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno not only sent City ahead but also gave him the best return of his Premier League season with three goals.

Kovacic
Image Source: Premier League

Fulham Fight Back but Doku Extends City’s Lead

Fulham refused to give up, and once more Adama Traore was given the space to unleash himself and dash into City’s open defense. This time Ederson stood in his way, making a crucial save to maintain City’s lead.

Kovacic
Image Source: Premier League

City sealed a crucial third goal in the 82nd minute. Jeremy Doku, wide left, cut inside and shot powerfully from the edge of the box, beating Leno at full stretch. Doku’s goal ensured it would be Fulham’s day, but there was no way the home side were losing now.

Kovacic
Image Source: Premier League

Nervous Finish as Muniz Scores Late

With just two minutes on the clock, a Fulham substitute in Rodrigo Muniz had managed to pull one back, forcing the tension back into the match. His attempted deflection should have been enough to beat Ederson and leave it all up to city’s defense to hang on until the final whistle blew for their team to collect the full three points.

This win keeps Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge alive as they head into the international break, even though they remain second behind Liverpool. It is in any case a relief to have ended a brief winless run and can now chase down the leaders over the coming weeks.

Kovacic
Image Source: Premier League

Fulham Left to Rue Missed Chances

Fulham drew nothing but the performance was up to the mark. Marco Silva’s side did enough in terms of creating possibilities, and an Expected Goals (xG) rating of 2.4 pegged their attacking intent. They had conviction to their game and bothered City a lot. Yet it was the unconverted key chances mainly through Traore that ultimately told against them.

The loss pushes Fulham down to sixth, but their recent form has been quite commendable, and they would look to bounce back with a vengeance after the international break.

Author

  • Ideapot

    Welcome to my world! I'm Goutam Kumar Dutta, the brains behind this platform. As an author and the proud owner of this site, I'm on a mission to bring you the latest and most intriguing sports news from various genres. But it's not just about sports - entertainment in all its forms also captivates my interest. Whether it's analyzing the latest match or delving into the world of entertainment, I strive to provide comprehensive coverage and valuable insights.

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