Rodrigo Muniz was finally all smiles again as he ended a year-long goal drought to help earn Alvaro Arbeloa his first win and see Fulham breeze past AFC Wimbledon 3-0 in the Carabao Cup.
The Brazilian netted his first goal since August 16, 2025 with a fine header back across goal from Kenny Tete's cross after Emile Smith Rowe had nodded the Cottagers in front to all-but secure a third-round trip to West Ham even before half-time.
"Goals are very important for strikers, we know that, and Rodrigo is working hard," Arbeloa said after full-time. "We have very good strikers with him and with Gonzalo [Garcia] - different strikers, but we need both, and both will be very important for us.
"They both scored tonight and they are so happy in the dressing room."
Wimbledon had held strong for the opening half-hour at Craven Cottage in the first ever meeting between the two London sides, but never recovered from falling behind.
Fulham created a succession of chances to add to their lead after the break, with half-time debutant Macaulay Zepa a live wire on the right flank and unfortunate not to mark his first appearance with a goal.
The youngster did at least get an assist in added time, freeing big-money summer signing Gonzalo Garcia to race past Dan Sweeney and ride a challenge from goalkeeper Nathan Bishop before calmly slotting home his second goal in as many games.
22: CHANCE! Wimbledon's Callum Maycock glances a cross just past the far post as Wimbledon threaten a shock opener.
24: BIGGER CHANCE! Smith Rowe catches a half-volley from the edge of the box but narrowly misses the near post.
37: GOAL! Smith Rowe makes up for his miss by nodding home from Ryan Sessegnon's cut back.
42: GOAL! Muniz makes it two with an excellent header from a Tete cross.
46: SUB! Zepa comes on for Oscar Bobb to make his Fulham debut.
75: NO HANDBALL! Andy Yiadom somehow avoids being penalised for a blatant handball inside his own box when sliding to block a Tete effort.
90+3: GOAL! Substitute Garcia makes it three after racing away from a defender and evading Bishop's attempts to stop him.
90+5: CHANCE! Zepa gets down the outside of his man but is denied a dream debut by Bishop's legs from a tight angle.
Your Site' Ron Walker:
"Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa could not have asked for much more. Despite making 10 changes his side breezed into the third round, with a number of encouraging individual performances and not an injury in sight.
"Rodrigo Muniz's future may lie away from Craven Cottage but he is at least back in the goals and smiling again, and for the moment offers a valuable back-up to Goncalo Garcia - himself looking full of confidence with another strike.
"The Fulham fans leaving the ground would have undoubtedly been most captivated by the performance of Zepa, though.
"Against admittedly limited opposition, he was direct, lively and most importantly composed from his first touch to his last with his debut only missing a goal - and that wasn't for the want of trying."
