Crystal Palace won the League Cup after beating Fulham 1‑0, with a goal from Eddie Nketiah in the 37th minute that ended the streak of two consecutive wins for the team led by Álvaro Arbeloa. The result ensures the player from Palma will advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament.
The match, played at the Fulham stadium, began with a clear superiority for the visitor, who had a rotating team and presented themselves as favorites. However, Crystal Palace, with several substitutions in their squad, managed to win thanks to the intervention of Nketiah, who took advantage of a cross from Óscar Mingueza to score the only goal of the match. The English striker, who had been a starter for Arsenal, kept the score on the scoreboard without Fulham being able to react throughout the 90 minutes.
The Spanish coach, who had started César Palacios, introduced Gonzalo García in the last twenty minutes in an attempt to equalize the score. Despite continued threats from Fulham, Nketiah's goal stood firm. In the final minutes, the former Real Madrid player came close to tying with a header that was saved in the last second of added time.
With the defeat, Fulham are eliminated from the League Cup and their hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals fade. Arbeloa will now be able to concentrate on his Premier League campaign until the next cup competition, the FA Cup, begins, scheduled for January. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace, who have already secured their position outside the relegation zone after victories against Hull City and Coventry City, are preparing for their next match at Villa Park against Aston Villa, one of the most demanding stadiums in the league.