Nigerian international Alex Iwobi delivered a stellar performance for Fulham on Tuesday night, scoring twice in a fiercely contested English Premier League encounter.
However, his heroics could not prevent Fulham from suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Fulham entered the derby in fine form, boasting an eight-match unbeaten streak in the league. West Ham, on the other hand, were desperate to end their three-game losing run under the leadership of newly-appointed manager Graham Potter, who was overseeing his first home game in charge.
The hosts made a blistering start, taking control early with goals from Carlos Soler and Tomas Soucek to establish a 2-0 lead. Fulham struggled to find their rhythm in the opening half but emerged from the break with renewed determination.
In the 51st minute, Alex Iwobi pulled one back for Fulham with a stunning strike, sparking hope for a comeback. However, a costly defensive error saw Bernd Leno misplace a pass, allowing Lucas Paquetá to restore West Ham’s two-goal advantage.
Fulham refused to back down, intensifying their attack in the final stages. Their efforts paid off when Antonee Robinson set up Iwobi for his second goal of the night, narrowing the deficit to 3-2 and keeping Fulham in the hunt.
Despite their relentless pressure, Fulham could not find an equalizer as West Ham held firm to secure a vital victory.
After his two goals today, Alex Iwobi has now scored seven goals and provided three assists in the English Premier League after making 21 appearances for Fulham this season.
