Albion suffered their first defeat of 2023 after Fulham pulled off a smash and grab raid at the Amex.
Roberto De Silva’s side dominated for long spells, carved out several chances and had goals by Solly March and Facundo Buonanotte disallowed for offside.
But Fulham defended well and when keeper Bernd Leno was exposed he made some fine saves, the pick of them to deny Alexis Mac Allister in the second half.
It looked like ending in a goalless draw but with two minutes to go substitute Manor Solomon lashed a low drive across Rob Sanchez into the far corner to stun Albion.
In six attempts Albion have never beaten Fulham in the Premier League. They move above us in the table and Albion drop a place to seventh.
Evan Ferguson had replaced Deniz Undav in our only change and he nearly scored with his first touch in the second minute. Pervis Estupinan charged cross-field from the left before finding Solly March. His touch set up Ferguson for a right-foot volley that flew just over.
Albion threatened again moments later when Kaoru Mitoma’s crossfield pass found March marauding in space on the right. He cut and went for the far corner but it missed by a yard. Estupinan then saw his shot blocked after a charging run down the left.
It was all Albion in the opening half-hour. Joel Veltman found himself in space 12 yards out, after Moises Caicedo cushioned the ball into his path, and it needed a brave block by Ream to keep out his shot. Leno then burst out of his box to smother the ball at Ferguson’s feet as the striker tried to latch onto a loose ball before getting behind Alexis Mac Allister’s volley.
Lewis Dunk had his head in his hands five minutes into the second half when he met Pascal Gross’s corner but directed a free header wide of the post. Albion had resumed where they had left off but there was further frustration on 54 minutes when Veltman went down in the box but penalty appeals for a foul by Antonee Robinson were waved away by referee Darren England. March then bundled the ball home from a corner but was clearly offside.
Leno came to Fulham’s rescue again with a brilliant save to deny Mac Allister after March had led a counter-attack from the edge of Albion’s box and supplied the cross. The Argentinian made good contact but Leno flung himself to his right to paw the ball away. Albion were knocking on the door.
Tariq Lamptey replaced Estupinan just after the hour and with his first touch fired over from the edge of the box after Gross set him up. Leno then made another more routine save, this time from Mac Allister.
Undav and Buonanotte came on with 18 minutes to go and formed the strike partnership and they nearly made an immediate impact when Buonanotte bundled in Undav’s cross, but the German had strayed just offside. Undav then met Lamptey’s ball with a glancing header which was a yard off target.
Albion had done everything but score and with two minutes to go they were stunned when Carlos Vinicius sent fellow sub Solomon away in the inside left channel and he fired low and hard into the opposite corner.
There was one last chance deep in stoppage time but Mac Allister’s free kick from 22 yards came back off the stanchion with Leno beaten. It summed up a frustrating afternoon for De Zerbi’s men.
Albion: Sanchez, Veltman, Webster (Bounanotte 72), Dunk, Estupinan (Lamptey 62), Caicedo, Mac Allister, March, Gross, Mitoma, Ferguson (Undav 72).
Subs not used: Steele, Sarmiento, Enciso, Undav, Ayari, van Hecke, Hinshelwood.
Referee: Darren England
Attendance: 31,619