Emile Smith Rowe scores on his home debut as Fulham sink Leicester

Alex Iwobi was also on target for the hosts, with Wout Faes netting for Leicester

Fulham’s Emile Smith Rowe in action during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage, London. Picture date: Saturday August 24, 2024. (PA Wire)

Emile Smith Rowe scored on his home debut as Fulham claimed a 2-1 win over Leicester at Craven Cottage.

Smith Rowe opened his Premier League account for the Cottagers with a placed finish in the 18th minute.

Despite losing their lead when Leicester’s Wout Faes equalised with a header, Fulham bounced back from last week’s late defeat at Manchester United with a winner from Alex Iwobi earning them their first three points of the season.

Fulham found their groove early on through Adama Traore, who pulled the strings on the right. The rapid wide-man forced goalkeeper Mads Hermansen into action with a driven shot with his left foot towards the bottom right corner before he created another chance with a deft reversed pass moments later.

Traore’s first season in west London was marred through injury but he is now fit and looked eager to impress manager Marco Silva, with the early signs suggesting he is an adequate replacement for the departed Willian.

His quality start to the match continued when he was instrumental in Fulham’s opening goal.

Traore drifted into the midfield where he skipped past two players before slipping through Smith Rowe. The attacking midfielder showed composure in a one-v-one scenario, placing his effort into the corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Fulham’s bright start was undone when a misplaced pass by Calvin Bassey put his side under pressure before Leicester equalised from the subsequent corner in the 38th minute.

Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte delivered a wonderfully curled inswinging corner which met the head of defender Faes, who powered his effort into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 1-1.

The goal was originally ruled out for offside but referee Darren Bond was sent to the monitor and deemed Jamie Vardy to have not interfered with Bernd Leno’s efforts to make a save.

After the interval, Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s homecoming was met with applause from Fulham fans as Foxes manager Steve Cooper substituted the winger. The Jamaica international ended his five-season stay at Craven Cottage when he moved to Leicester earlier in the summer on a free transfer.

The start of the second half lacked quality, with a speculative bicycle kick attempt from Rodrigo Muniz, which ballooned over the bar, as close as Fulham came to increasing their lead until a well-worked move saw Iwobi clinically double the lead in the 70th minute.

A fizzed pass into Antonee Robinson saw the left-back produce a first-time lofted pass which unleashed the winger and his drilled effort cannoned off Hermansen and into the net to win it for Silva’s men.