Samuel Chukwueze came off the bench to make his debut in the League Cup against Cambridge United.
Emile Smith Rowe scored the winner in the 66th minute to help Fulham progress to the next round.
Chukwueze didn’t have the dream start he would have hoped for in his first Fulham appearance.
He was subbed on in the 60th minute to replace Adama Traoré, but failed to make an impression.
The Nigerian winger struggled to make a positive impact, ending the match without a single shot, registering just 15 touches, and failing to complete a single attempted dribble.
He completed seven passes, delivered one accurate long ball, and managed a few ball recoveries.
Chukwueze was dominated physically losing both aerial duels and winning only two of his three ground duels.
It was a forgettable outing, one that Fulham fans will hope was just a rough first step.
Fulham manager Marco Silva urged fans not to rush to judgment, emphasizing the need for patience as the 26 year old adapts to his new surroundings.
“First minutes for Samuel Chukwueze. He needs more time with us and more time on the pitch because he can give us good things too.
“It’s always good when you give time to adapt and understand better,” Silva told reporters.
Alex Iwobi got a well deserved rest, not being included in the squad after a hectic stretch of matches for both club and country.
The break is expected to help prevent a repeat of the ankle injury he picked up during the Leeds United clash. Meanwhile, Calvin Bassey was named on the bench but didn’t feature either.
