By Monsurah Olatunji
Nigeria international Calvin Bassey scored the winner as Fulham defeated high-flying Nottingham Forest 2-1 at Craven Cottage.
The Super Eagles defender made his mark in the 62nd minute, nodding the ball into the net from a corner to secure all three points for Fulham.
The hosts took the lead in the 15th minute thanks to Adama Traore’s creative brilliance, as he picked out Emile Smith Rowe, who headed in for the Fulham opener.
Nottingham Forest responded with a rare attack, equalizing through Chris Wood, who held off Bassey and slotted the ball into the bottom corner, aided by a deflection off the Nigerian.
Fulham regained the lead just after the hour mark when Raul Jimenez rose highest to flick on a corner to Bassey, whose header proved to be the match-winner.
Forest struggled to create any significant chances after Bassey’s goal, while a lively Fulham side could have added to their lead on multiple occasions.
Bassey’s first goal of the season handed Fulham a deserved victory over third-placed Nottingham Forest, marking their first Premier League win at Craven Cottage in 2025.
The win moves Fulham into eighth place with 39 points, just two behind seventh-placed Newcastle United, while Forest remain in third with 47 points.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
