Southampton 1 Fulham 2: Sessegnon nets dramatic winner to complete comeback as Saints still risk worst-ever Prem season.
RYAN SESSEGNON broke Southampton’s resistance – and their hearts – with a cruel injury-time winner. Just as the Saints fans appeared as if they would finally have something to celebrate – not being jointly the worst team in Premier League history – Fulham struck with a simply Sess-ational winner. GettyFulham produced second-half comeback to boost hopes of European qualification[/caption] RexRyan Sessegnon came up with the goods in the 92nd minute[/caption] ReutersClub captain Jack Stephens up the Saints 1-0 up[/caption] ReutersEmile Smith Rowe’s deflected strike dragged the visitors level[/caption] The former Tottenham misfit guided a 92nd minute header beyond Saints keeper Adam Ramsdale after a pinpoint cross from Adama Traore. It had looked as if a battling draw against a Fulham team still seeking European football was going to mean the dubious “worse ever” title was going to belong solely to the Derby County team of 2008. But after an equaliser from Emile Smith Rowe had wiped out Saints’ early led through Jack Stephens, Sessegnon struck. That leaves Saints still on 11 points – the same tally as that dreadful Derby side of 17 years ago. Marco Silva’s men are consistently inconsistent, but this win has revived their hopes they could yet be playing European football at Craven Cottage next season. For Southampton fans, this has been a car-crash of a season but not just the one prang. It’s been more like a recurring slow-motion nightmare where they brace themselves for every new smash-up each and every week. They began without having tasted a Premier League victory at St. Mary’s since they beat Everton 1-0 way back on November 2. CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS One of their few bright spots has been the growing influence of Lesley Ugochukwu, their 21-year-old loanee from Chelsea. The young Frenchman was a scorer in Saints’ 1-1 draw at West Ham a week before and he was at the heart of Southampton’s most promising early moments. It was his probing down the left that earned Southampton the free-kick from which they took the lead. Ryan Manning curled the ball towards the six-yard box and Jack Stephens was able to glance a header past keeper Bern Leno before any Fulham defenders could react. Saints fans may have got used to losing this season – they have seen 13 home defeats in this campaign – but at least they have not lost their sense of humour. They responded to taking the lead by taunting Fulham fans: “How s*** must you be – we’re winning at home!” Fulham had dominated most of the early possession, but their only real effort on goal had come from the wily Willian. The 36-year-old Brazillian bent a sweet shot from wide on the left which had Aaron Ramsdale scrambling across his goalmouth before he was relieved to see it go wide. After falling behind, Fulham responded but Stephens proved his more regular worth at stopping goals rather than scoring them when he headed clear an effort by Fulham’s Joachim Andersen. Not that there weren’t signs of the comedy defending that has become Southampton’s forte this season. Ramsdale – under no particular pressure – passed straight to Fulham’s Harry Wilson. The Welshman eventually picked out Willian but his low shot was blocked and Ramsdale let out a big sigh of relief. A teasing free-kick from Andreas Pereira was cleared away by the busy Stephens just as Fulham players queued at the far post and the signs were that an equaliser was not far away. But when a corner found its way to Raul Jimemez, the Fulham striker mis-hit his effort, before volleying over another shot, and Southampton breathed again. Fulham boss Marco Silva was clearly not best chuffed by his team’s first half showing and made changes at the break. He brought on both Sasa Lukic and Adama Traore and their presence brought Fulham within inches of a quick reward. Traore’s direct running caused Saints problems and when he set up Willian, the former Chelsea star clipped a shot from the edge of the box which struck the post with Ramsdale beaten. The escape roused the home fans into their noisiest backing of the afternoon. They had not seen many leads held this long in a wretched campaign so maybe they sensed this was a day when the worm might turn. GettyMarco Silva’s side boosted their hopes of European qualification[/caption] Interim Southampton manager Simon Rusk has four more games to Derby’s 11 point tally It would have got more comfortable still for Saints had Leno not stood his ground and produced an excellent save to deny Kyle Walker-Peters on the hour mark. The wing back had found some space in the box but his powerful rising shot was beaten away by the Fulham keeper. That proved decisive on Leno’s part as he was soon celebrating a 73rd
RYAN SESSEGNON broke Southampton’s resistance – and their hearts – with a cruel injury-time winner.
Just as the Saints fans appeared as if they would finally have something to celebrate – not being jointly the worst team in Premier League history – Fulham struck with a simply Sess-ational winner.
The former Tottenham misfit guided a 92nd minute header beyond Saints keeper Adam Ramsdale after a pinpoint cross from Adama Traore.
It had looked as if a battling draw against a Fulham team still seeking European football was going to mean the dubious “worse ever” title was going to belong solely to the Derby County team of 2008.
But after an equaliser from Emile Smith Rowe had wiped out Saints’ early led through Jack Stephens, Sessegnon struck.
That leaves Saints still on 11 points – the same tally as that dreadful Derby side of 17 years ago.
Marco Silva’s men are consistently inconsistent, but this win has revived their hopes they could yet be playing European football at Craven Cottage next season.
For Southampton fans, this has been a car-crash of a season but not just the one prang.
It’s been more like a recurring slow-motion nightmare where they brace themselves for every new smash-up each and every week.
They began without having tasted a Premier League victory at St. Mary’s since they beat Everton 1-0 way back on November 2.
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One of their few bright spots has been the growing influence of Lesley Ugochukwu, their 21-year-old loanee from Chelsea.
The young Frenchman was a scorer in Saints’ 1-1 draw at West Ham a week before and he was at the heart of Southampton’s most promising early moments.
It was his probing down the left that earned Southampton the free-kick from which they took the lead.
Ryan Manning curled the ball towards the six-yard box and Jack Stephens was able to glance a header past keeper Bern Leno before any Fulham defenders could react.
Saints fans may have got used to losing this season – they have seen 13 home defeats in this campaign – but at least they have not lost their sense of humour.
They responded to taking the lead by taunting Fulham fans: “How s*** must you be – we’re winning at home!”
Fulham had dominated most of the early possession, but their only real effort on goal had come from the wily Willian.
The 36-year-old Brazillian bent a sweet shot from wide on the left which had Aaron Ramsdale scrambling across his goalmouth before he was relieved to see it go wide.
After falling behind, Fulham responded but Stephens proved his more regular worth at stopping goals rather than scoring them when he headed clear an effort by Fulham’s Joachim Andersen.
Not that there weren’t signs of the comedy defending that has become Southampton’s forte this season.
Ramsdale – under no particular pressure – passed straight to Fulham’s Harry Wilson.
The Welshman eventually picked out Willian but his low shot was blocked and Ramsdale let out a big sigh of relief.
A teasing free-kick from Andreas Pereira was cleared away by the busy Stephens just as Fulham players queued at the far post and the signs were that an equaliser was not far away.
But when a corner found its way to Raul Jimemez, the Fulham striker mis-hit his effort, before volleying over another shot, and Southampton breathed again.
Fulham boss Marco Silva was clearly not best chuffed by his team’s first half showing and made changes at the break.
He brought on both Sasa Lukic and Adama Traore and their presence brought Fulham within inches of a quick reward.
Traore’s direct running caused Saints problems and when he set up Willian, the former Chelsea star clipped a shot from the edge of the box which struck the post with Ramsdale beaten.
The escape roused the home fans into their noisiest backing of the afternoon.
They had not seen many leads held this long in a wretched campaign so maybe they sensed this was a day when the worm might turn.
It would have got more comfortable still for Saints had Leno not stood his ground and produced an excellent save to deny Kyle Walker-Peters on the hour mark.
The wing back had found some space in the box but his powerful rising shot was beaten away by the Fulham keeper.
That proved decisive on Leno’s part as he was soon celebrating a 73rd minute equaliser from substitute Smith Rowe.
Alex Iwobi found the former Arsenal man with a neat lofted pass, but Southampton still conceded far too much space to the goalscorer.
By the time Jan Bednarek got across, Smith-Rowe had fired off a shot and the deflection off Bednarek sent the ball arcing beyond Ramsdale and into the far corner.
Fulham’s fans celebrated as their hopes of European football next season were suddenly revived.
It was rough on Southampton but when you score so few goals, the pressure to defend a one-goal lead rests on a knife-edge.
Fulham, though, were after a winner and thought they had it late on when Smith Rowe swivelled and swept a shot low towards the corner.
This time, though, Ramsdale got across and was able to get a hand to it at the cost of a corner.
But Fulham kept pressing and gained their winner in the second minute of injury time when Sessessgnon sent his brave header flashing into the far corner.
Cruel on Southampton in what has been their bitterest season.
