Bassey and Iwobi Shine as Fulham Secure Hard-Fought Pre-Season Win over Benfica

• Bassey and Iwobi, both featured in Fulham's narrow 1-0 Victory over Benfica.
• Iwobi scored the only goal of the game and was named Man of the match.

Fulham's pre-season campaign kicked off on a positive note as they edged out Portuguese giants Benfica 1-0 in a lively encounter at Estadio Algarve on Friday night. The Cottagers' victory was thanks in large part to the finishing of midfielder Alex Iwobi who was eventually named Man of the match.

Bassey was a rock at the back, making crucial interventions and clearances throughout the match. His most notable contribution came in the second half when he expertly cleared Fredrik Aursnes' shot off the line, preserving Fulham's slender lead. Iwobi, on the other hand, was the match-winner, scoring the only goal of the game in the 20th minute. The former Arsenal man finished coolly inside the near post after a swift counter-attack involving Adama Traoré and Antonee Robinson.

Fulham dominated the first half, with Iwobi's goal capping off a period of sustained pressure. The Whites had half chances to double their lead, but Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin made smart saves to deny Tom Cairney and Rodrigo Muniz.

The Portuguese side improved significantly after the break, with Gianluca Prestianni and Orkun Kokcu forcing Bernd Leno into impressive saves. However, Fulham's defense, marshaled by Bassey, held firm to secure the win.

Fulham will face Sevilla in the same stadium on Monday evening, looking to build on this hard-fought pre-season victory.