Super Eagles stars Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze delivered standout performances for Fulham on Saturday despite a dramatic 5–4 defeat to Premier League champions Manchester City.
In a match headlined by Erling Haaland’s historic 100th Premier League goal, Nigeria’s attacking duo made a strong case for inclusion in Eric Chelle’s final AFCON 2025 squad, having already been named in the preliminary list.
Fulham vs Man City: A Nine-Goal Classic
Manchester City raced into a commanding lead, with Haaland opening the scoring before Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden added two more to make it 3–0.
Fulham briefly responded through Emile Smith-Rowe, but Foden restored City’s three-goal cushion with his second of the game.
A Sander Berge own goal then put the visitors 5–1 up, seemingly sealing the result.
But what followed was a sensational, unexpected shift in momentum.
Chukwueze’s Electric Cameo Turns the Game Around
The introduction of Samuel Chukwueze injected life into Fulham’s attack, triggering a near-iconic comeback.
First, Alex Iwobi slotted home to make it 5–2, showing sharp movement and composure in the box.
Then Chukwueze took center stage:
- 72nd minute: The former Villarreal winger punished a Bernardo Silva mistake, smashing home his first-ever Fulham goal to cut the deficit to 5–3.
- Minutes later, he struck again with a precise low finish, bringing the score to 5–4 and sending Craven Cottage into a frenzy.
Fulham pressed relentlessly for the equalizer, but Manchester City held firm to secure all three points and maintain pressure on league leaders Arsenal.
Strong AFCON Message Sent
Despite the loss, both Iwobi and Chukwueze emerged as two of Fulham’s brightest performers, showcasing the creativity, pace, and attacking threat Nigeria will need at AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
Their performances will surely give coach Eric Chelle something to think about as he trims his final squad list.
