Fulham boss Marco Silva says Samuel Chukwueze delivered a “massive impact” after the Nigerian winger came off the bench to create the winner in a tight 1–0 victory over Sunderland at Craven Cottage.
Chukwueze, 26, arrived into the game midway through the second half and provided the decisive moment when his right-wing cross found Raúl Jiménez for the only goal of the evening.
The assist comes after a subdued international window for the winger, who struggled for influence with the Super Eagles and was substituted in both matches as Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
But at Craven Cottage, his contribution proved pivotal.
Jiménez, speaking to Jack Kelly after the match, thanked the winger for delivering the game’s defining moment.
“He [Chukwueze] had a really good impact. We had opportunities, even in the first half. I want to thank him for the cross. I was ready to score,” he said.
Marco Silva. Photo Credit: Getty Images
Silva also highlighted the influence of his substitutes and the control his side carried throughout the contest.
“We deserved the three points. We scored a late goal, but we should have scored much earlier in the game.We needed that for our fans, for them. We created 3–4 clear chances in the first half. Nothing for them apart from Traore.
We always had the possession well balanced, good performance overall. Massive impact from ESR and Chukwueze.
We are going to need Samuel [Chukwueze] from the start, but we will lose him to AFCON soon. Clean sheet, solid.”
Sunderland arrived in west London in strong form, sitting inside the top four, but struggled to create clear chances against a disciplined Fulham side.
Fulham players celebrating the win against the Black Cats.Photo Credit: Getty Images
Chukwueze’s late influence also drew attention from former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he described the assist as a standout moment of quality.
Sherwood said the delivery showed “exceptional vision and technique,” adding that Chukwueze “curled the ball beautifully in behind the defence.”
Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze. Photo Credit: Getty Images
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The Nigerian, on loan from AC Milan, has been gradually building rhythm in west London. Despite having no league starts and limited minutes since joining Fulham, he now has two assists in seven appearances, totalling just 132 minutes.
Silva, preparing to lose the winger for AFCON duty in the coming weeks, hinted that Chukwueze’s influence will be increasingly important before his international call-up.
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Fulham’s win strengthens their home form and lifts the atmosphere inside Craven Cottage as they prepare for a challenging run of fixtures.
