Burnley vs Fulham. Premier League.
Turf MoorAttendance19,316.
Report and highlights as Andre Schurrle's goal of the season contender is overshadowed by two own goals
Saturday 12 January 2019 17:55, UK
Two quick-fire own goals saw Burnley narrowly beat Fulham 2-1 as Sean Dyche's side registered their third Premier League win in a row.
Andre Schurrle broke the deadlock after two minutes with a brilliant half-volley, but Burnley levelled through a Joe Bryan own goal which deflected off his left leg (20).
Two minutes later and Fulham fired into their own net again as Denis Odoi headed past his team-mate Sergio Rico with what proved to be the decisive goal, despite Fulham's efforts to rally back in the second half of a game where Burnley failed to register a shot on target.
Burnley's third successive Premier League win means they move further away from the relegation zone into 15th. Fulham, meanwhile, are five points off safety in 19th as the pressure continues to mount on Claudio Ranieri.
Fulham got off to a fast start with Schurrle putting the visitors in front after two minutes with a goal of the season contender. He took down Odoi's pinpoint long ball in the penalty box before smashing his brilliant dipping half-volley past Tom Heaton in off the crossbar.
Chris Wood threatened an equaliser when his header came off the bar in the 18th minute, and Sean Dyche's side did go on to level moments later. A driven cross from Jeff Hendrick ricocheted off Ryan Sessegnon before deflecting off the unfortunate Bryan into the net.
And it got even worse for Fulham when Odoi nodded in another Hendrick cross in the 23rd minute. Ranieri's men almost instantly responded with two good chances as Calum Chambers directed a bullet header off the woodwork before Sessegnon nodded his free effort narrowly over.
Luciano Vietto was introduced for Sessegnon at half-time and he so nearly had Fulham level. His low shot got the better of Heaton but it was spectacularly cleared off the line by James Tarkowski.
In a less eventful second half at a wet and windy Turf Moor, Fulham came closest to equalising with twenty minutes left. A dangerous ball into the box from Vietto took a wicked deflection off Charlie Taylor, who nearly turned the ball in, but it drifted narrowly wide of Rico's right post.
Fulham continued to put the pressure on with Vietto driving a vicious strike on goal in the 75th minute, but the shot was well parried by Heaton as the hosts held on for a valuable victory.
Fulham's 14 points after their opening 22 matches is their lowest-ever tally at this stage of a season in the club's history (converting three points/win).
Sean Dyche: "It was really tough conditions today for both teams. We both tried to handle it. I thought the game was probably summed up from our point of view with a fine bit of defending from James Tarkowski.
"He put in a fantastic block on the line and it reminds ourselves of some of the good qualities we have. I mean that sincerely.
"It's not just about the players and the ability but it's about the detail and I thought that was a tremendous bit of defending. That's worth a goal for me and in the end that wins us the match."
Claudio Ranieri: "It's unbelievable - football is fantastic. I think we deserved more than the draw but as for the football we scored early and played well.
"They had three chances and scored two own goals. It's unbelievable. We can draw the match in the first half but we hit the crossbar.
"In the second half they save on the line. It's a bad moment but we are alive. We never give up. We continue to fight."
Hendrick put in a composed performance on the right flank of Burnley's midfield and was responsible for causing both of Fulham's own goals.
On both occasions, he was the player responsible for breaking open the Fulham defence and played in two dangerous crosses which Bryan and Odoi found themselves turning into their own net.
Burnley travel to Hertfordshire to take on Watford on January 19. Fulham, meanwhile, host London rivals Tottenham on Super Sunday.
