Lecomte’s Shootout Saves Spare Fulham Blushes Against Wycombe In Carabao Cup

Relying connected penalties to spot disconnected lowly guidance from League One will do small for Fulham’s morale. Marco Silva’s broadside are successful a sticky spot, 4 consecutive defeats dragging them towards nan Premier League’s bottommost three, and making a repast retired of reaching nan quarter-finals of nan Carabao Cup astatine Wycombe Wanderers’ disbursal was not precisely nan required tonic earlier this weekend’s captious location crippled against Wolves.

The positives for Fulham did not widen beyond Josh King scoring his first elder goal. The 18-year-old midfielder cancelled retired Cauley Woodrow’s early opener against his aged broadside and nan favourites went done 5-4 connected penalties. Benjamin Lecomte saved from Ewan Henderson, Fred Onyedinma and Donell McNeilly earlier Issa Diop’s emphatic spot-kick killed Wycombe disconnected successful abrupt death.

There was nary hint of complacency from Silva, who named a squad pinch plentifulness of acquisition and quality, but Fulham’s assurance is vulnerable and location were only 4 minutes connected nan timepiece erstwhile diffident defending allowed a acquainted look to drawback them retired successful nan 4th minute.

The rustle came from Woodrow, who was incapable to make overmuch of an belief aft joining Fulham for £440,000 successful 2011. The 30-year-old forward, connected indebtedness astatine Wycombe from Luton Town, was fixed clip to beforehand pinch nan shot and he made nan visitors salary by rasping a patient thrust wrong Benjamin Lecomte’s correct station from 20 yards.

Cauley Woodrow sparked early hopes for Wycombe aft scoring successful nan 4th infinitesimal against Fulham. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Fulham were unimpressive but they had chances. Adama Traoré – occasionally effective, often infuriating – crossed nan correct but Raul Jiménez headed consecutive astatine Will Norris. Josh King danced into vulnerable positions and Tom Cairney clipped a changeable conscionable wide. Timothy Castagne missed a elemental chance to equalise.

The vexation grew successful nan distant end. Fulham were sloppy. Traoré was fixed condolences for ducking retired of challenges and location were boos aft Harrison Reed and Cairney were muscled disconnected nan shot successful speedy succession successful midfield. Kevin, nan 22-year-old Brazilian, was quiet connected nan near wing.

Jeered disconnected astatine half-time, Fulham had to improve. Hope flared astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd half. Kevin won a area connected nan left, whipped it towards nan adjacent station and celebrated pinch King erstwhile nan teen scored pinch a flick reminiscent of Gianfranco Zola’s extremity for Chelsea against Norwich successful 2002.

Ryan Sessegnon, thrown connected astatine half-time, made a quality from left-back. King, who had a extremity wrongly disallowed against Chelsea successful August, continued to scheme. Cairney and nan progressively lively Kevin had shots tipped complete arsenic ­Fulham pushed for a 2nd goal.

Yet Wycombe, 17th successful League One, refused to rotation over. Fulham lacked bite. Jiménez going disconnected was not perfect fixed that Rodrigo Muniz is already missing successful attack. King and Kevin missed precocious chances but it needed penalties to abstracted nan teams.