Fulham booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after surviving a tense penalty shootout against Wycombe Wanderers side at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night.
The Premier League outfit were pushed to the limit by the League One visitors, eventually scraping through 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Defender Issa Diop struck the winning penalty in sudden death, while goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte was the hero of the night with three vital saves in the shootout.
Wycombe made the perfect start, silencing the home fans when former Fulham striker Cauley Woodrow drilled home a low shot from outside the box just four minutes into the game. The goal seemed to jolt Fulham into action, but the Championship side defended bravely to keep their lead intact until the break.
Marco Silva’s men finally found their rhythm in the second half, and Josh King levelled the score three minutes after the restart, flicking in a smart finish from a corner for his first goal in Fulham colours.
Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Fulham couldn’t find a way past Wycombe keeper Will Norris, who pulled off key saves to keep his side in contention.
In the shootout, Fulham converted their first four penalties before Norris denied Ryan Sessegnon and Jonah Kusi-Asare, giving Wycombe a glimmer of hope. But Lecomte responded brilliantly, stopping efforts from Ewan Henderson, Fred Onyedinma, and Donnell McNeilly to secure the win.
Brentford also advanced with a 5-0 demolition of Grimsby Town, while Cardiff City beat Wrexham 2-1.
The remaining fourth-round fixtures continue on Wednesday, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City all set to feature as the battle for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals intensifies.
