Fulham 2-3 Chelsea: Palmer & Pedro secure London derby victory in Premier League opener (full match highlights)

On August 24, 2026, at Craven Cottage in London, in front of 27,461 spectators (107% capacity), Chelsea secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Fulham in their Premier League opener. Referee John Brooks blew the starting whistle at 22:00 Moscow time, and the visitors started at full throttle. As early as the 1st minute, João Pedro opened the scoring after a pass from Cole Palmer — 0-1. In the 5th minute, Levi Colwill received a yellow card for a foul, followed by Romeo Lavia's booking in the 12th minute. Fulham recovered from the early blow and equalised in the 23rd minute: Josh King finished into the far corner after a pass from Timothy Castagne — 1-1. However, Chelsea quickly regained the lead: in the 41st minute, Morgan Rogers fired home from inside the box after a pass from Maxence Lacroix — 1-2. The second half began with another quick goal from Chelsea: in the 49th minute, Cole Palmer scored after a pass from João Pedro to make it 1-3. Fulham fought back and pulled one back in the 54th minute: Gonzalo García finished into the near post — 2-3. In the 75th minute, Reece James saw yellow, followed by Calvin Bassey's booking in the 76th, and Timothy Castagne's yellow in the 88th minute. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle, and Chelsea started the season with three points. Match statistics: Fulham had 43% possession, recorded 11 shots on goal compared to Chelsea's 17, and completed 74% of their passes against Chelsea's 82%. Cole Palmer and João Pedro were the heroes of the match, securing the victory for Chelsea. Chelsea showed character and attacking efficiency, but defensive issues remain a concern. Fulham, despite the defeat, showed character and gave the favourites a real fight. Chelsea's manager praised his team's performance but warned about the need to improve defensively. Fulham, meanwhile, could be proud of their players' commitment, but the dropped points at home will serve as a lesson. The Premier League started with a bang, and this London derby was one of the most exciting in the opening round.