Fulham Progress in the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 Win Over Birmingham

Former Birmingham loanee Jay Stansfield came back to haunt his old club, as Fulham secured a 2-0 victory to advance to the third round of the Carabao Cup. The Cottagers made 11 changes from their weekend win over Leicester, but Marco Silva’s heavily rotated squad showed their strength in depth at St Andrew’s.

Fulham struck early, taking control of the game within the first 15 minutes. Raul Jimenez opened the scoring with a composed penalty after Tom Cairney’s shot was blocked by a Birmingham hand. Shortly after, Stansfield added the second with a lovely curled finish, but respectfully refrained from celebrating against the club where he spent a fruitful loan spell last season.

Birmingham fought back admirably, and the League One side had their moments. Keshi Anderson’s header was cleared off the line by a vigilant Timothy Castagne, and Willum Thor Willumsson rattled the bar with a free-kick. Despite some late pressure, Fulham held firm and secured their passage into the next round, leaving Birmingham to reflect on what could have been.

Marco Silva praised Stansfield after the match, reaffirming his belief that the youngster has a bright future at Fulham. With the third-round draw looming, Fulham will be looking to continue their run in the competition they reached the semi-finals of last season.

Player Ratings (from WworthK on TSC Discord)

Benda - 6: A decent shot-stopping display, though there were some shaky moments with the ball at his feet. Not as reliable as Leno, and there are concerns if he’s forced to deputise for an extended period.

Castagne - 8: Solid defensively and showed good awareness with a goal-line clearance when Benda was beaten. Didn’t offer much going forward but was dependable at the back.

Andersen - 9: Pure class throughout the match. Calm and composed on the ball, and his assist for Stansfield’s goal was perfectly executed. His passing and defensive acumen were top-notch.

Cuenca - 8: Another calm and composed performance alongside Andersen. Distributed the ball well and helped keep the Birmingham attack at bay with intelligent positioning.

Sessegnon - 6: Struggled physically in the first half and was bullied on a few occasions. Improved as the game wore on, especially after Laird’s substitution. Still looks a bit rough around the edges but showed potential.

Berge - 7: Dictated play from deep with his physicality and passing. A bit rusty with some misplaced passes, but overall a solid performance in midfield. Fitness remains a concern as he looked exhausted by the time he was subbed off.

Reed - 5: A disappointing outing. Ran around without much purpose and was lucky to avoid a second yellow card. Clearly out of practice and seemed lost for large parts of the game.

Cairney - 6: Struggled with his passing and was dispossessed too easily at times. Looked sluggish but won the penalty, which saves him from a lower rating.

Wilson - 6: Inconsistent throughout the match. Some good moments, but his long balls were often poorly executed. Kept the Birmingham defenders alert but failed to make a decisive impact.

Stansfield - 8: The standout in attack, constantly troubling the Birmingham backline. Took his goal with aplomb and stretched the defence with his runs. Made a strong case to feature more regularly.

Jimenez - 6: Calmly converted his penalty but struggled to influence the game otherwise. His movement was lacking, and he was often second-best in duels. Showed some decent link-up play but needs to do more.

Substitutes (N/A):

King: Showed his technical ability but lacked physical presence.

Lukic: Growing in confidence, looked comfortable on the ball, and took a direct free-kick with authority.

Iwobi: Drifted into central areas and kept things ticking over.

Emile Smith Rowe: Struggled out wide but made a key dribble to win a free-kick.

Adama Traoré: Didn’t have much time to make an impact but clearly caused concern for the defenders with his mere presence.

Fulham march on in the Carabao Cup, and Silva will be pleased with the performances of some of his squad players. The blend of youth and experience was enough to get the job done against Birmingham, and the focus now shifts to their upcoming Premier League fixtures.