Substitute Rodrigo Muniz scored three minutes after coming on to rescue a point for Fulham in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Jacob Murphy had put Newcastle ahead in the 80th minute with a stunning strike, but Muniz equalised in the 83rd minute to deny the visitors all three points, according to TBS News and The News Guru. It was the second late twist of a Saturday afternoon that had already seen drama at Elland Road and the Emirates.
Both sides go into the international break in mid-table, with the draw doing neither a great deal of harm — but both will feel they could have taken more from the game.
Two goals in three minutes
For 80 minutes, the game had been a stalemate. Fulham had been solid at home, as they have been all season, while Newcastle’s attacking talent had struggled to break down a well-drilled defence.
Then the game exploded. Murphy’s 80th-minute strike looked like it had won it for Newcastle, a moment of quality that deserved to decide a tight game. But Fulham responded immediately, with Muniz — introduced from the bench — levelling within three minutes.
It was a fair result on the balance of play, and a reminder of the value of a goalscoring substitute in a tight Premier League game.
The wider picture
Fulham’s home form remains a strength. Craven Cottage on a Saturday afternoon is a difficult place to visit, and Newcastle — whose away form has been under scrutiny this season — will be disappointed not to have held on after taking such a late lead.
The Magpies had chances to kill the game off before Murphy’s goal, and they will rue their failure to do so. For Fulham, the point keeps them ticking along in mid-table, with their home record the platform for the season.
What comes next
Both sides now have two weeks to prepare for the resumption, with the table tight from fifth down. A win either way would have lifted the victors into the European conversation; instead, both must wait until after the break to push on.
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