Football: Soccer-Luton’s relegation confirmed as Fulham win away

LONDON (Reuters) – Raul Jimenez scored twice as Fulham won 4-2 at Luton Town on Sunday to confirm their hosts’ relegation from the Premier League.

Jimenez netted on the stroke of halftime to put Fulham 2-1 up at the break and then added a second four minutes into the second half as Luton’s slim hopes of staying up were ended at Kenilworth Road.

Luton had only a mathematical possibility of avoiding relegation, needing to close a three-point gap on Nottingham Forest, one place above them in the standings, and also engineer an unlikely 12-goal swing on goal difference.

But they were behind when Adama Traore scored on his first league start for Fulham after 16 substitute appearances in the campaign.

He blasted home a right-footed strike to put Fulham ahead in the 43rd minute, only for Carlton Morris to equalise two minutes later from the penalty spot after Calvin Bassey had tripped Chiedozie Ogbene.

But a third goal in seven minutes before the break saw Jimenez restore Fulham’s lead with a side-footed effort after a late run to perfectly meet Harry Wilson’s pass.

Mexico international Jimenez then expertly flicked home a header from a free kick to make it 3-1 early in the second half, but Fulham allowed Luton to pull one back in the 55th minute when Alfie Doughty’s free kick crept along the ground and evaded a sloppy defence on its way into the net.

Wilson struck the woodwork with a free kick of his own on the hour before reaping reward for his efforts, and making it 4-2, with an accurate finish nine minutes later, after being set up by Traore.

The result allowed Fulham to move above Wolverhampton Wanderers, who lost at Liverpool, into 13th place. Luton finish third from bottom on 26 points, returning to the Championship after a single season in the top flight.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)