Willian's Double Penalty Earns Fulham Late Win over Wolves

Match Summary

Willian's 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday.

Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson's cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa's legs from close range.

The visitors drew level on 22 minutes after brilliant play by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who beat Robinson twice down the right before finding Matheus Cunha unmarked to nod home.

Fulham regained the lead on 59 minutes through Willian's first penalty after a Nelson Semedo challenge on Tom Cairney was adjudged to be a foul.

Hwang Hee-chan levelled the scores again from the spot on 75 minutes for his seventh league goal of the season.

But Joao Gomes' clumsy challenge on substitute Harry Wilson was given as a penalty by VAR late on, with Willian sending Sa the wrong way and Craven Cottage into raptures.

Post-Match Reactions

The win, the hosts' first in five league games, moved Fulham up to 14th in the standings on 15 points. Wolves remained 12th on the same number of points.

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil criticized VAR after the game, believing that the decisions went against his team. He expressed his frustration over the referee's failure to consult the VAR monitor for Fulham's first penalty and other controversial incidents during the match.

Fulham manager Marco Silva defended the third penalty, stating that it was a clear foul. However, he acknowledged that the first penalty for Fulham and the one awarded to Wolves were softer decisions.

Premier League Standings

The victory propelled Fulham to 14th place in the Premier League standings with 15 points. Wolves remained in 12th place with the same number of points.

The top of the table is currently occupied by Arsenal, who have 30 points from 13 games. Manchester City and Liverpool are close behind with 29 and 28 points respectively.

The relegation zone is currently occupied by Sheffield United, Everton, and Burnley, who are struggling at the bottom of the table.

Upcoming VAR Analysis

An analysis of VAR decisions in the 2023-24 Premier League season is being conducted, tracking how these decisions have affected each club.

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil expressed his frustration with VAR, claiming that his team has lost 'seven points' due to decisions made by the system.

Fans can expect more debates and controversies surrounding VAR as the season progresses.