For years, Fulham fans have dreaded the FA Cup fourth round.

It’s the stage where dreams have repeatedly crumbled, with defeats to teams like Southampton, Oldham Athletic, Burnley, Manchester City (twice), and Newcastle United haunting their memories.

So, when the team traveled to face Wigan, there was understandable anxiety.

Would history repeat itself, or could Marco Silva’s squad finally shake off the curse?

A Dominant Start

Silva clearly wasn’t dwelling on past failures.

Despite making 10 changes to the lineup that had just beaten Newcastle, Fulham wasted no time in asserting control.

From the first whistle, they turned the game into a near training exercise, at one point holding an astounding 91% possession.

Wigan struggled to escape their own half, and the breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when Ryan Sessegnon’s pinpoint cross found Rodrigo Muniz, who made no mistake with his diving header.

Minutes later, Fulham nearly doubled their lead when Andreas Pereira sent a beautifully clipped ball over the top to Martial Godo.

But instead of a simple finish, Godo overcomplicated things, allowing Wigan to escape to halftime with a fighting chance.

Wigan’s Moment of Magic

With only one shot on target up to that point, Wigan had barely troubled Fulham.

But five minutes into the second half, Jonny Smith produced a moment of brilliance, curling a stunning shot into the top corner to make it 1-1.

It was only Wigan’s second attempt of the game, but it gave them a sudden lifeline and sent their home crowd into a frenzy.

Fulham’s Brazilian Flair Seals the Deal

Rather than crumbling under the pressure, Fulham responded in style.

Pereira and Muniz, their Brazilian playmakers, combined for the decisive goal.

Pereira’s clever ball over the top found Muniz, who calmly slotted past Wigan’s goalkeeper, Sam Tickle, in the 55th minute.

That goal silenced the home supporters and restored Fulham’s dominance.

Wigan didn’t give up and even thought they had found a last-gasp equalizer when Ronan Darcy tapped into an empty net after Steven Benda spilled a long-range effort.

But relief swept through the Fulham camp when the offside flag went up, ensuring that their FA Cup journey continued.

Match Ratings and Key Performances

Wigan (4-2-3-1):

Tickle (6.5) – Made some key saves but was exposed for both goals.
Sibbick (5.5), Kerr (6.5), Carragher (6), L. Robinson (5.5) (McHugh 75′) – A backline under constant pressure.
Adeeko (6) (Darcy 61′), S. Smith (6) – Struggled to control midfield.
J. Smith (7) (McManaman 70′) – Scored a brilliant equalizer.
Weir (6.5), Asamoah Jr (6) (Dale 61′), Taylor (6) (Goodwin 71′) – Rare attacking opportunities.
Subs Not Used: Watson, Sessegnon, Aimson, J. Robinson.
Goal: J. Smith (50’).
Manager: Shaun Maloney (6.5).

Fulham XI:

Benda (6) – A nervy moment at the end but otherwise solid.
Castagne (6.5), Cuenca (7), Diop (7), Sessegnon (7.5) – Controlled the game defensively and offensively.
Cairney (7) (Berge 85′), Reed (6.5) – Dictated play from midfield.
King (7) (Smith Rowe 86′), Pereira (8) (Traore 75′), Godo (7) (Iwobi 75′) – Creative and dangerous throughout.
Muniz (8.5) (Vinicius 90′) – Star of the show with two goals.
Subs Not Used: Leno, Andersen, Willian, Jimenez.
Goals: Muniz (23’, 55’).
Manager: Marco Silva (7).
Referee: David Webb (6).
Attendance: 12,281 (2,102 away fans).

What’s Next?

With the fourth-round hurdle finally cleared, Fulham will look ahead to the next challenge in the FA Cup with renewed confidence.

If Muniz and Pereira keep delivering performances like this, who knows how far they can go?

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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