Oscar Bobb sends Fulham past West Ham into Carabao Cup last 16

Fulham reached the Carabao Cup last 16 after a tough, stop-start win over West Ham at the London Stadium. The night also carried emotion: a tribute was held before kick-off for Ludek Miklosko, who died this week aged 64, according to The Guardian.

Comeback with the right end

West Ham proved stubborn and kept the tie open. As The Guardian reports, they managed two first-half equaliser moments, leaving Fulham chasing control for much of the contest. Still, the visitors looked threatened by West Ham’s pressure.

The decisive moment arrived when Oscar Bobb took charge: Bobb scored to make it 3-2 in the 78th minute, putting Fulham ahead at a time when West Ham were almost finding a way back again. Nuno Espírito Santo, per the same report, reacted furiously to a poor miss by Taty Castellanos, but the game never swung far enough for West Ham to force another equaliser.

Arbeloa still sees problems

The overall picture is mixed for Fulham. Álvaro Arbeloa opted for an experimental approach with rotation—nine changes, as noted by The Guardian—and after half-time he was openly critical of the defensive lapses. He said: “I was a bit upset at half-time… We need to improve… and We need to be more aggressive when defending” (The Guardian). He also stressed that if the team isn’t aggressive enough, it’s part of his job to fix it.

What it means next

Despite the uneven performance, Fulham’s reward is a place in the last 16. The Guardian’s match account highlights that West Ham, even in defeat, didn’t feel outplayed and can return their focus to their promotion push, while Fulham can now carry a bit more momentum through the cup.