SOCCER: Jimenez penalty earns Fulham scrappy 1-0 home win over Forest

LONDON — Striker Raul Jimenez converted a first-half penalty to lift Fulham to a scrappy 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in a lackluster Premier League match at Craven Cottage on Monday, moving the hosts 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Fulham climbed to 13th place with 23 points from 17 matches, while Forest remained 17th on 18 points, five points above the drop zone.

The contest produced few clear chances and little attacking quality, with more yellow cards shown (eight) than shots on target recorded (three). The decisive moment came during first-half stoppage time.

Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz brought down compatriot Kevin inside the penalty area with a careless challenge, and Jimenez calmly dispatched the spot kick. The goal maintained his perfect Premier League penalty record, marking his 11th successful attempt.

“We knew it would be a tough game, but we did some good things on the pitch. We are very happy with these three points,” Jimenez told Sky Sports.

“I like having the pressure of taking penalties. I’ve never missed, and I’m really happy with that. It comes from working hard and a lot of training,” he added.

Fulham manager Marco Silva will welcome the result, which pushes his side closer to the top half of the table, though the overall performance offered little excitement. Forest, meanwhile, struggled to create meaningful chances as manager Sean Dyche watched his team labor through the full 90 minutes.

Jimenez headed wide in the first half, while Forest forward Igor Jesus wasted a promising opportunity by firing over the crossbar. Kevin also missed a chance in the second half after breaking through the defense, but a heavy touch allowed Fulham to recover.

-Reporting by Nick Said; editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters