Raul Jimenez Scores Controversial Penalty to Secure Fulham’s Victory Against Nottingham Forest

Raul Jimenez’s controversial penalty secured Fulham a 1-0 victory at the City Ground, thus ending Nottingham Forest’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season. The decisive moment came in the second half after a substantial video assistant referee (VAR) review, which saw referee Josh Smith consult the pitch-side monitor before awarding the penalty.

The match, attended by Forest’s largest crowd in over ten years—30,139 spectators—saw the home team denied their first league win since April. Despite enjoying possession, Nottingham Forest’s hopes for a home victory were dashed. The team’s frustration grew as another VAR decision went against them, maintaining Fulham’s unbeaten stretch to five games.

The first half was largely uneventful, marked by a few noteworthy incidents. Taiwo Awoniyi, making his first league start of the season for the hosts, created the game’s first notable opportunity. His improvised overhead kick following Elliot Anderson’s near-post flick-on narrowly missed Bernd Leno’s right post.

Forest appeared to take the lead when Chris Wood scored from a Nikola Milenkovic assist in the 25th minute. However, the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review. Though Fulham had more possession at that stage, Jimenez’s low shot marked their only effort on target until then.

After the break, the match was revived when Fulham were awarded a contentious penalty following Andreas Pereira‘s fall from Murillo’s challenge. Raul Jimenez, unfazed by the chorus of boos from the home fans, calmly scored his third league goal of the season in the 51st minute.

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, having avoided a touchline ban, attempted to rally his team by bringing on substitutes Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jota Silva. Forest supporters’ dismay grew when yet another VAR decision didn’t favor them, after Anthony Elanga‘s apparent tumble was not deemed a foul.

Hudson-Odoi, aiming for an equalizer, fired over the crossbar and was pivotal in Forest’s late attempts to breach Fulham’s defenses. Matz Sels saved Jota Silva’s volley, and Ryan Yates’s close-range shot deflected off a teammate. Despite Forest’s relentless pressure during the eight minutes of added time, Fulham maintained their advantage to earn their first away win this season.

After the match, Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva, praised his team’s perseverance. “It’s a great three points for us and a great battle,” Silva stated. “We expected a tight game, but we showed our character and organization throughout, especially in the last minutes. The reality is that Nottingham didn’t create many chances; we controlled much of the game.”