Sheffield United 3-3 Fulham: Six-goal thriller at Bramall Lane sees Blades drop two-point lead for...
In an exciting and eventful second half, Rodrigo Muniz scored a stunning goal in the final minutes, saving Fulham from defeat and securing a draw against Sheffield United.
Following an uneventful first half where no goals were scored and the gameplay lacked excitement, Ben Brereton Diaz took a shot and scored the first goal for the Blades at the 58-minute mark.
Despite a quick equalizer from Fulham thanks to Joao Paulhinha's header, Brereton Diaz played a big part in setting up his teammate, Oli McBurnie, to bring United back into the lead. Diaz wasn't done there, as he went on to score a third goal for United, giving them a comfortable 3-1 lead.
An atmosphere of excitement and joy filled the area around the stadium where Wilder's team had suffered heavy losses in their previous three home games of the Premier League.
Marco Silva's team made an impressive comeback, with Bobby De Cordova-Reid scoring the third goal in the 86th minute. Muniz, who has been in top form with eight goals in eight games, scored the equalizer in the third minute of added time.
Fulham has Rodrigo Muniz to thank for clinching a draw in the dying moments of the game, thanks to his stunning overhead kick. Muniz emerged as the hero of the match after securing a crucial point for his team.
The Blades, who currently occupy the 20th spot in the table, could have greatly benefited from earning three points.
for his team. Muniz has now scored a total of eight goals in the last eight games. He scored a goal towards the end of the game to help his team earn a point.
The hosts were severely embarrassed after losing 6-0 to Arsenal in their most recent game at Bramall Lane. This came on the heels of two consecutive 5-0 losses to Aston Villa and Brighton.
The excitement was not just felt by Wilder and his team, but also by the devoted football fans in the city who support the red and white team.
So, it was a day for the Blades to remain strong and that's precisely what they did, opposing a Fulham team that had triumphed in four out of their last six Premier League matches.
Don't think lightly of how terrible Wilder's team was in their recent terrible performances in front of their fans.
Their last run of games resulted in them being the initial team in English league chronicles to suffer defeat in three successive home games by a difference of five or more goals. That's worth taking into consideration.
However, in a sunny Bramall Lane, Marco Silva's ascending Cottagers experienced difficulty in finding their composure against their persistent opponents.
The Blades put up a tough fight for each ball and displayed a strong will to win as a team, something that was lacking in their previous home performances.
Opportunities were limited in the initial period, and the most promising chance was presented to Muniz of Fulham at the 38th minute.
The forwards had successfully found the back of the net seven times in his past seven games, however, on his latest attempt, his aimed shot hit the post and unfortunately, he missed the rebound by kicking the ball too high above the crossbar.
Oliver McBurnie scored the first goal for his team in the game against Fulham, but the match ultimately ended in a 3-3 tie.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid, who was brought in as a replacement, scored the third goal in the 86th minute, followed by Muniz who has been playing exceptionally well and scored his eighth goal in eight consecutive games, making it 4-2 for the team.
It's important not to overlook the poor performances of Wilder's team during their recent games played in front of their home crowd.
The Blades battled with great determination for each ball and exhibited a level of team spirit that had been absent in their previous home games.
The initial period was completely unmemorable, but the second half of the game became exciting and breathtaking.
Shortly after the break, Muniz hit the woodwork for the second time with a looping header. United's first goal came soon after.
Brereton Diaz scored a goal from a stunning cross by McBurnie, who had advanced through the left flank. Diaz hit the ball from a six-yard distance and put it into the net.
In the 62nd minute, Fulham evened the score by having Palhinha head in the corner kick from Andreas Periera.
However, United refused to lose and made a strong comeback once again after Brereton Diaz made a precise cut-back that McBurnie was able to tap in.
Surprisingly, the score was 3-1 during the 68th minute after Brereton Diaz used his head to score a goal from Gus Hamer's cross from the left side. However, there was a collision between Diaz and Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
The Blades held firm against a Fulham squad that had emerged victorious in four of their previous six matches in the top-flight English football league.
Chris Wilder appeared content as his team appeared to be on track for a win with three points earned.
Brereton Diaz scored his fourth goal in five Premier League games by powerfully hitting McBurnie's low cross from a distance of six yards.
Sheffield United played with a 3-5-2 formation and fielded Grbic, Holgate, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Bogle, Vinicius who was later replaced by Trusty at the 85th minute, Arblaster who was also replaced by Norwood at the 85th minute, Hamer, Osborn, McBurnie and Brereton Diaz, with McAtee coming in at the 90th minute.
Players who did not get to participate: Brooks, Curtis, Foderingham, Larouci, Osula, Slimane.
Targets: Brereton Diaz managed to score in the 58th and 70th minutes, while McBurnie hit the net in the 68th minute.
Reservations: Holgate, Norwood, Hamer, Bogle.
The starting lineup for Fulham was arranged in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Leno was their goalkeeper. Castagne started the match but was replaced by Tete at the 85th minute mark. Tosin and Bassey were the defensive players, with Robinson also playing in defense. Palhinha and Lukic played the midfield positions. Traore replaced Lukic in the 63rd minute. Pereira played as a forward and was replaced by De Cordova-Reid at the 85th minute mark. Willian and Muniz were also playing in forward positions for Fulham.
Players who did not participate in the game: Ream, Reed, Rodak, Wilson.
Objectives: Palhinha scored at minute 62 while De Cordova-Reid scored at minute 86 and Rodrigo Muniz scored at minute 90+3.
Afterward, the match officials verified with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the likelihood of a red card, but no disciplinary measure was applied, and the audience in the stadium cheered ecstatically.
McBurnie scored a goal for the Blades, but his joyful celebration was abruptly interrupted by a review from VAR. The video assistant referee determined that the goal could not count because Vini Souza, a midfielder for the home team, had been offside.
The team of cottagers decided to replace Bobby Der Cordova-Reid and then swiftly scored a goal using a pass from Tom Cairney, reducing the lead held by United in a matter of moments.
Afterwards, during the third minute of the additional 14, Adama Traore, who had replaced a player on the field earlier on, delivered a pass from the side of the field. Then, Muniz, who had been substituted in for another player, impressively hit the ball with his right foot from 12 yards away and it went zooming into the goal.