Alvaro Arbeloa earned his first competitive victory as Fulham manager with a 3-0 win over Wimbledon on Thursday. The Cottagers secured the win with goals from Emile Smith Rowe, Rodrigo Muniz, and Gonzalo Garcia.
Fulham struggled for nearly a full half against their League One opponents, leading to groans from the home crowd. The team's suitability to replace former manager Marco Silva had been a persistent question throughout the summer. Despite the initial frustration, Arbeloa will be pleased with his second string's persistence in overcoming a stubborn defense.
The breakthrough came in the 37th minute when Emile Smith Rowe scored a scruffy header. Rodrigo Muniz then doubled the lead with another header just before halftime, making the second half largely academic.
In the second half, Fulham continued to push, with Smith Rowe hitting the crossbar with a half-volley. Gonzalo Garcia, who came on as a substitute, rounded the goalkeeper to score his second goal for Fulham, sealing the 3-0 victory.
Wimbledon had their opportunities during the match, including a near miss from Callum Maycock and a long-range attempt by Myles Hippolyte. The away support remained vocal throughout the game despite the loss.
Fulham's schedule remains busy with a trip to Sunderland on Sunday and a Carabao Cup tie against West Ham. Arbeloa, drawing inspiration from the Spartan army, will likely embrace any hard-fought victories in these early stages of his tenure.