Brentford 3-2 Fulham: Ivan Toney maintains perfect penalty record
Brentford 3-2 Fulham: Ivan Toney maintains perfect penalty record with Mathias Jensen hitting winner in thrilling west London derby as Thomas Frank’s side keep their European hopes alive
- Toney has scored 22 out of 22 penalties for Brentford since joining the club
- Brentford remain ninth while Fulham missed the chance to overtake Newcastle
- Fulham enjoyed the majority of possession but the hosts defended well
These are uncharted waters for Brentford and uncertain times in the career of Ivan Toney.
The glimmer of European qualification lies within reach for Thomas Frank’s side, all while the spectre of suspension hangs over their beating heart.
Toney has already accepted some of the 262 charges he faces over alleged betting offences.
What sanctions await remains to be seen. And so, in rocky periods like these, there is particular comfort in all that is certain.
And round here, few things are more nailed-on than the outcome when Toney places the ball down, 12 yards out.
Ivan Toney scored the winner from the spot to take his penalty record to 22 from 22 for Brentford
The striker has now scored all 22 penalties he has taken since joining Brentford. This one was particularly sweet. It came shortly after half-time of a derby against Fulham that, in truth, Brentford should have wrapped up much, much earlier.
They had led through Ethan Pinnock’s early goal and created a hatful of chances before Manor Solomon headed in his fourth goal in as many Fulham appearances.
How the visiting support savoured that. How they had enjoyed goading Toney over the FA’s investigation.
He responded with the vital second goal and a taunt of his own, mimicking the celebration of Aleksandar Mitrovic – just as he did at Craven Cottage earlier in the season.
Toney then had a hand in Brentford’s third, linking up with substitute Kevin Schade, who skinned Antonee Robinson before pulling the ball back for Mathias Jensen to make sure of three points which ensure Brentford are now unbeaten in 12 Premier League games.
A remarkable run – currently the longest in the division – that leaves them a point behind Fulham and seven points off fourth-place Tottenham, despite having played two games fewer.
Toney’s tally for the season, meanwhile, is now 15 – putting him outright third in the scoring charts behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
It could have been 16, had his audacious effort from near halfway, which had Fulham keeper Bernd Leno scrambling back towards goal, dropped the other side of the crossbar.
That would have rubbed more salt into the wounds for Marco Silva’s side, who can hardly argue with this first defeat in eight matches – despite Carlos Vinicius’s last-gasp consolation.
These two sides – separated by only a couple of bends of the Thames – have clashed in richer, more meaningful games. Never at such heady heights, though. Never as the two top sides in West London. Never with the glint of European football lingering on the horizon.
It was Brentford’s visit to Craven Cottage, back in August, that kick-started Fulham’s remarkable season. After sharing four goals and 90 minutes, they were separated only by Mitrovic’s injury-time winner. Here, however, in the cold and rain beside Kew Bridge, Silva’s players came close to drowning inside 20 minutes.
Bryan Mbeumo will wonder how he didn’t have a hat-trick in that time. The forward spooned a low cross over from close range. He saw another effort kept out by Bernd Leno and then watched his free-kick clip the post. As it was, Brentford led by then. But only by one.
It came from a corner that eventually reached Aaron Hickey on the edge of the box. His scuffed effort fell to Pinnock, whose shot on the turn flew into the net off Tim Ream.
That saw a flare thrown on to the pitch and red smoke begin billowing into the black skies. Credit Fulham, though. They were without their midfield anchor, the suspended Joao Palhinha, and – for a while – the visitors lacked any foothold in the game.
But they limited the damage. In truth, Palhinha’s replacement, Sasa Lukic, should have joined him on the naughty step by half-time. He was caught in the face by Ivan Toney’s stray boot and then, moments after coming back on, Lukic tripped Yoane Wissa as Brentford launched a counter attack.
He had already been booked and Brentford smelt blood. But referee Anthony Taylor let him off, much to the ire of the home crowd who had already seen their lead evaporate.
Fulham had battled their way back into this game – without creating much – by the time they were given another let-off, when Toney sent a free-kick clattering into the woodwork.
The visitors’ first shot on target arrived three minutes later, after Andreas Pereira’s effort hit the same spot and the ball bounced right into the path of Solomon.
Parity didn’t last long, mind. A few minutes after the break, Fulham failed to deal with a long throw, which was allowed to bounce towards the penalty spot. Christian Norgaard went to control the ball, Issa Diop tried to clear it.
The Brentford midfielder got their first, the Fulham defender succeeded only in booting Norgaard’s foot. Taylor was left with little choice. Leno was left with no hope up against Toney. Or Jensen.
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