With both of these sides in European contention, neither were eager to open up too early in this clash. It was perhaps telling that the first sighting of goal came from a set-piece, when Andreas Pereira’s in-swinging delivery needed clawing off the line by Bart Verbruggen.
It would be unjust to suggest either team were dominant throughout the first half, but Brighton were slightly more dangerous, with Yankuba Minteh’s strike held well at the near post by Bernd Leno.
It was the visitors who worked the first meaningful opening of the game, though, and they took full advantage of it too. Alex Iwobi did the heavy lifting in the build-up, leading a counter-attack which ended with Raul Jimenez taking the ball down and smashing past Verbruggen.
That goal lit the touchpaper and another goal duly followed, just not the way Fulham would’ve hoped. Some questionable marking allowed Jan Paul van Hecke to attack Yasin Ayari’s far post delivery uncontested, and he made no mistake in powering a header in off the post.
That placed the Seagulls in the ascendancy, and they ought to have taken the lead when Georginio Rutter played Pedro in behind, but the Brazilian could only skew his effort wide.
That opening was a rare bright spark for the hosts after the break, as Fulham largely controlled the encounter yet were largely unable to work any clear openings.
Aside from a Kaoru Mitoma disallowed goal early in the second half, which was nowhere close to being onside, there was very little to report from an event-free second 45 minutes.
Brighton felt they should have had a late penalty when Pervis Estupinan went down under pressure from Timothy Castagne in the area, but referee Sam Barrott and VAR disagreed.
Ultimately, though, they were awarded a spot-kick deep into stoppage time when Pedro tumbled under a challenge from Harrison Reed. After dusting himself off, the striker stroke home from 12 yards to hand the hosts a fourth consecutive top-flight win for the first time since May 1981.
The win sees Brighton move up into sixth and just a point behind Manchester City in the fourth and final UEFA Champions League qualification spot, while Fulham sit ninth.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Calvin Bassey (Fulham)
