JOAO PALHINHA’S last-gasp header did Fulham legend George Cohen proud.
Just as it looked as though struggling Southampton had sealed a precious point through a jaw-dropping James Ward-Prowse free-kick the Portuguese midfielder made them pay on 86 MINUTES.
The Whites had paid tribute to the life of Pele and club stalwart George Cohen before the match as it was their first home game since the 1966 World Cup winner died last week aged 83.
And their performance was fitting tribute to the club’s most revered right-back.
Andreas Pereira’s opener, which went down as a Ward-Prowse own goal, due to a deflection had got them on their way before Ward-Prowse cancelled it out.
There was late drama as referee Graham Scott awarded a penalty as Gavin Bazunu appeared to lightly punch Dan James in the head instead of the ball in the dying moments of the game.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic stepped up but Bazunu went from zero to hero by keeping it out, not that it matters as Fulham sit in seventh and Saints are rock bottom.
Mitrovic started brightly, darting around the pitch like a pitbull terrier, snapping at the heels of Saints’ revamped defence.
As usual, Willian rolled back the years, and with twinkle toes to conjure up the first real chance as he played a one two with Pereira – but agonisingly shaved the left post.
He also lashed an inch-perfect cross into the box – but Mitrovic was unable to make a crucial touch.
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It certainly didn’t seem like Saints were a side lacking confidence, which boss Nathan Jones had claimed before the match as Che Adams’ hit back with a blistering run and long range shot which forced Bernd Leno into an epic save.
Samuel Edozie tucked in and played a pretty passing sequence with Adams, but fired straight at Leno.
Jones had shaken up the side that slumped to a woeful 3-1 defeat to Brighton last time out.
German Armel Bella-Kotchap came back into the defence for the first time following the World Cup as Romain Perraud was benched after his horror own goal.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Aribo – who last started in the Premier League back in October, were brought into midfield.
And Kotchap was like a rock in defence making a superb block to keep any Fulham players latching onto another lethal Robinson cross.
But the hosts were building, they just needed another sniff at goal.
It all began with Willian expertly chipping the ball to Pereira on the edge of the box, and the ex-Manchester United man cracking a lightning volley off Ward-Prowse and home.
Marco Silva was quite literally drinking it in, as the cameras panned to him taking a sip of water with a sly grin on his face.
Fulham paid just peanuts for Pereira when they nabbed him from Manchester United for £10.5million in the summer.
Since promotion, Pereira has registered four assists (as many as Mo Salah, Martin Odegaard and James Maddison), and has become the club’s second highest contributor for goal contributions behind Mitrovic.
But trust Ward-Prowse to be the Southampton hero to wipe the smile off Silva’s face after the break.
The Saints skipper stepped over a free-kick from 25-yards with an ice-cool look on his face before firing perfectly into the bottom right corner.
It made it 15 goals from direct free-kicks in the Prem and only David Beckham has scored more with 18.
Southampton certainly looked the better side after the break and 19-year-old Samuel Edozie was funnelling all of the chances.
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Palhinha made a heroic block on Romain Perraud then popped up the other end to nod home Pereira’s corner which was flicked on by Kenny Tete.
Mitrovic could have had the club in dreamland but missed his spot-kick in the dying moments.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
