Fulham Football Club climbed into the top half of the Premier League table with a 1–0 victory over Aston Villa at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
The Super Eagles duo, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze, played a crucial role in the win as Marco Silva’s side moved up to 10th place.
The Nigerian internationals showed what they were capable of, especially as their compatriot, midfielder Alex Iwobi, was out injured.
Ryan Sessegnon delivered the decisive moment in the 43rd minute, steering home after Emiliano Martínez parried Raúl Jiménez’s header into his path.
The strike proved enough to settle a tight contest in West London and handed Fulham a statement win over third-placed Villa.
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Super Eagles centre-back Bassey anchored the defence throughout, completing the full 90 minutes to help keep out Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers. It was another composed display from the 25-year-old, who had become a mainstay in Silva’s backline.
Compatriot Chukwueze started on the right wing and offered an attacking spark before he was replaced by Oscar Bobb in the 76th minute.
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The winger, on loan from AC Milan, continued to adapt to life at Craven Cottage, having already contributed three goals and four assists that season.
The result lifted Fulham to 48 points from 34 matches, overtaking Everton and closing to within one point of seventh-placed Bournemouth in the race for Europe.
For Villa, it was a missed opportunity to consolidate fourth place, with Liverpool overtaking them after a 3–1 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield.
Fulham also gained revenge for their 1–0 defeat at Villa Park earlier in the campaign, when Youri Tielemans’ early header proved decisive.
With four games remaining, Silva’s men had momentum and, with Bassey marshalling the defence and Chukwueze adding width, belief was growing at Craven Cottage that European football could return the following season.
