By Ethan Georgiou

Fulham Under-23s secured their first win in three games, beating Sunderland 2-0 at LSE on Friday afternoon.

Fabio Carvalho scored his ninth and 10th league goals this season to help his side to victory.

Sunderland pressed well in the early stages and pinned the young Whites back, but that press was soon beaten and a good opportunity was created.

Adrion Pajaziti played a clever ball through to Fabio Carvalho, whose attempt from a tight angle was blocked by the goalkeeper. Connor McAvoy headed just over from the resulting corner kick.

The visitors nearly grabbed one themselves on 12 minutes and it would have been in bizarre fashion. A corner kick was carried in the wind and ended up bouncing off the top of the crossbar. There was very little Taye Ashby-Hammond could do to stop it.

Josh Hawkes nearly gave the away side the lead soon after, with a terrific piece of solo play. After spinning beyond a number of Fulham players, his long-range effort was denied by Ashby-Hammond.

Sylvester Jasper V Sunderland

Down the other end, the young Whites took the lead on 21 minutes with Carvalho converting calmly, using his left foot after latching onto a Sylvester Jasper cross.

Carvalho could have had another five minutes before the break but was denied by a combination of the goalkeeper and a defender, who blocked his powerful shot.

Fulham looked lively after the break, with Jean-Pierre Tiehi using his power to muscle past a defender and fire a low cross into the danger area. The ball was heading straight for Carvalho, but Patrick Almond read it and intercepted.

Jayden Harris V Sunderland

Somehow the hosts didn’t extend their lead on the hour-mark. McAvoy’s clever flick from a corner struck the post before Carvalho’s curling shot clipped the top of the crossbar.

Mark Pembridge and Colin Omogbehin’s men were nearly made to rue the missed chance minutes later.

Hawkes played an excellent cross from the right towards Will Harris, but the forward couldn’t get the ball under control despite being under little pressure. A let off for the young Whites.

Fulham responded well to the momentary lapse in concentration and took a big step towards three points in the 64th minute. A through ball bounced off a Sunderland defender and rolled around the goalkeeper to Carvalho, who tapped into an empty goal. That strike brought his league tally up to an impressive 10.

Neither side created any real chances after the second goal and the hosts secured a much needed three points.

Team Lineup:

T Ashby-Hammond; Duru, McAvoy, Kongolo, Fossey; Harris, Pajaziti, Davis; Carvalho, Tiehi, Jasper

Subs:

Borto, Larckeche, Murphy, Francois, De Havilland