Raul Jimenez scored twice as Fulham ended a three-match losing Premier League run with a 3-1 triumph at Sunderland.
Neither goalkeeper was particularly troubled in a lacklustre first half, but both sides were handed injury worries with Sunderland duo Nordi Mukiele and Jocelin Ta Bi unable to continue and Kevin forced off for the Cottagers just before half-time.
The game burst into life after the break when Jimenez’s header broke the deadlock, and seven minutes later he doubled the visitors’ advantage from a penalty.
Sunderland responded 14 minutes from time when Enzo Le Fee converted from the spot, but Fulham restored their two-goal lead in the 85th minute through Alex Iwobi.
The result saw Marco Silva’s team become only the second side to beat the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light this season, with Regis Le Bris’ men slipping to their third straight league loss.
Following a quiet opening, Nilson Angulo burst down the left flank for the hosts, but his low pass into the area was turned behind by Sander Berge.
Kenny Tete smashed a shot into Omar Alderete and Kevin skewed a shot wide from the left as the Cottagers looked for the opener.
Premier League debutant Jocelin then sent a corner into Lutsharel Geertruida – a 12th-minute replacement for the injured Mukiele – but his shot was blocked, with Fulham then going close when Emile Smith Rowe played a neat pass into Ryan Sessegnon, who curled the ball over the crossbar.
A deep Sunderland free-kick was quickly sent back into their half and Kevin wrestled the ball off Angulo before finding Harry Wilson on the break, but his effort was cleared behind by Trai Hume.
The Black Cats were handed another injury blow with Jocelin forced off and Romaine Mundle was introduced, before Noah Sadiki had a long-range strike held by Bernd Leno.
Fulham were also forced into a change on the stroke of half-time when Kevin came off for Oscar Bobb.
Sunderland had an excellent opportunity early in the second half when Geertruida won the ball outside the box and played Mundle through,
but the winger blasted his shot wide.
The visitors went close when Iwobi’s shot was cleared by Hume but, from the resulting corner, Iwobi’s delivery was met by Jimenez, who moved away from his marker and flicked a header into the bottom corner in the 54th minute.
Seven minutes later, following a VAR review, Brian Brobbey was ruled to have pulled Calvin Bassey’s shirt in the box and, from the penalty spot, Jimenez coolly rolled the ball into the corner.
Granit Xhaka made his return from injury as one of three substitutes in the 71st minute as the Black Cats searched for a response and they pulled one back five minutes later when Le Fee fired home from the penalty spot after Dan Ballard was fouled by Sessegnon in the area.
However, the visitors made the game safe in the 85th minute when a Sunderland corner was cleared towards Wilson, who charged up the pitch and played a pass into Iwobi, who slotted into the far corner.
