Pablo Felipe Scores First Goal for West Ham in Defeat to Fulham
Pablo Felipe finally had his moment in claret and blue – but it came on a night that slipped away from West Ham United.
The Brazilian forward struck his first goal for the club in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie, drilling in from a tight angle on his 22nd appearance to haul the Hammers level at 2-2. For a few minutes, it felt like a turning point.
Then Oscar Bobb buried that feeling.
The Fulham man hit a late winner for the visitors to seal a 3-2 defeat for West Ham and dump them out of the competition, leaving Pablo’s long-awaited breakthrough tinged with frustration rather than celebration.
It had already been a see-saw evening. Rodrigo Muniz put Fulham in front, only for summer signing Morato to hit back and make it 1-1. Cesar Palacios restored Fulham’s lead, West Ham answered again through Pablo, and just when the momentum seemed to be with the hosts, Bobb struck to silence the home crowd.
Afterwards, Pablo cut an honest figure. The relief of finally scoring mixed with the sting of elimination.
He admitted he had been desperate to get off the mark for the East London club and spoke of the anxiety that had built up as the games ticked by without a goal. The net finally bulged, but the result refused to follow.
"I was very anxious to get that first goal, and it’s just a shame we didn’t get the result," he said, stressing that West Ham cannot dwell on the setback. "We’re not going to lower our heads. We have to keep working and fighting so that we come out better in our next game."
What the Hammers do take with them is the belief that they went toe-to-toe with top-flight opposition. Pablo underlined that the level of their display against Fulham has reinforced confidence inside the dressing room, even as the cup run ends.
Now comes a different kind of test.
Four straight EFL Championship wins have put West Ham four points clear at the top of the table, and attention snaps back to the promotion charge and a derby that needs no hype.
Millwall at The Den. Saturday. The first competitive meeting between the clubs since February 2012, when West Ham edged it 2-1.
Pablo, who arrived in January, knows exactly what he is walking into.
He revealed that the squad fully understands what this fixture means to the supporters and promised a side ready to fight for every ball. For him, it is a first taste of one of English football’s fiercest rivalries – and an opportunity to turn a personal milestone into something more meaningful.
"I know there’s a big rivalry with Millwall," he said. "We’re going to be 100 per cent focused. We know it’s an important game, so we’re going to do everything we can to get the win."
The cup exit stings, but the stakes at the top of the Championship are far higher. West Ham’s response at The Den will say far more about their season than one wild night in the Carabao Cup – and Pablo Felipe now has his first goal behind him as he steps into the fire.
