“We worked on it”: Alex Iwobi explains decisive moment in away victory

Alex Iwobi says Fulham’s decisive moment in their 3-1 away win over Sunderland came from a transition move rehearsed repeatedly in training.

The Nigeria international scored once and provided an assist as Fulham boosted their hopes of qualifying for Europe with victory at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

In what was widely viewed as a potential stumbling block, Marco Silva’s side delivered under pressure despite difficult playing conditions.

While Raúl Jiménez scored twice to put Fulham in control, Iwobi’s energy and influence proved central to the outcome.

The 29-year-old midfielder, formerly of Arsenal, played a key role in ensuring the visitors secured three valuable points on the road.

Speaking to Complete Sports after the match, Iwobi acknowledged the impact of the pitch on the game. “We knew it would be difficult; the pitch wasn’t great for us,” he said.

Known for their preference to build play along the ground, Fulham had to adapt their approach.

However, the visitors showed resilience. “If we want to climb the table, we have to pick up those points away from home. They were very good at home, so it’s satisfying to have gotten the result we wanted,” he added.

The highlight of Iwobi’s display was his goal, which he later revealed was the product of detailed preparation on the training ground. The move began with Harry Wilson launching a quick transition.

“When H [Harry Wilson] got the ball, it was just me and Oscar going up onto the pitch. It’s something we’ve been working on in training: playing in transition,” explained the number 17. The finish required calm decision-making. “He found me, I saw where the keeper was positioned, and the only place to finish was above his foot. Credit to H, and to us for taking the three points.”

The result keeps Fulham firmly in contention for a European place, although Iwobi insists the squad remains measured in its ambitions.

“We’re taking it one step at a time,” he said. “We got the three points, and that was the objective: to get ahead of them. We’ll see where we are at the end of the season.”