Sone Aluko Reflects on Fulham’s Premier League Promotion Playoff Defeat

Nigeria forward, Sone Aluko, expressed his disbelief and disappointment following Fulham’s heart-wrenching elimination from the Premier League promotion playoffs at the hands of Reading. Fulham suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Reading in the second leg of their semi-final play-off, resulting in a 2-1 aggregate loss. The first leg, played at Craven Cottage, had ended in a 1-1 draw.

The decisive blow came in the 49th minute when Yann Kermorgant calmly converted a penalty, sending Reading to the hallowed grounds of Wembley for the final showdown.

In the aftermath of this unforeseen setback, Aluko, who had harbored high hopes of Fulham securing a spot in the final, emphasized the need for his team to regroup and come back stronger. He stated, “It’s a tough one to take, a real tough one, I didn’t even consider ourselves losing, I was so confident we would get to the final at least. The way we played, we probably deserved to win, especially in the second half. We dominated the game and had some big chances, but that’s football and that’s life.”

Undoubtedly, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, but Aluko remains resolute in the face of adversity. “We have to get up and go again as a team. We need to bounce back from this; it’s a really tough feeling to take. We can only go one way; we have to learn from this and improve. There’s a lot of improvement for us still,” he stated.

Fulham’s quest to return to the Premier League, a competition they last participated in during the 2013/2014 season before being relegated, was thwarted once more. This outcome mirrored Aluko’s own relegation experience when he was with Hull City during the same campaign. Despite the setback, Aluko’s determination and belief in Fulham’s potential for success remain undiminished, signaling a commitment to the future and the pursuit of higher footballing heights.