Nigeria international Alex Iwobi scored his first Premier League goal of the season as Fulham secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Hull City at Craven Cottage.

The Cottagers claimed their first league win of the campaign at the seventh attempt, having recorded two draws and four defeats in their previous six matches, easing the pressure on manager Alvaro Arbeloa.

Iwobi came close to opening the scoring inside the first three minutes, but his deflected effort skimmed the roof of the net as Fulham made an early statement.

The hosts dominated much of the first half, with Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis spilling Oscar Bobb’s free-kick before eventually being beaten by Iwobi.

The breakthrough arrived when Sander Berge laid the ball off to the Nigerian midfielder on the edge of the penalty area. Iwobi struck first-time, guiding his effort into the bottom corner to give Fulham a deserved lead.

Tzolakis subsequently denied Josh King from a tight angle, helping Hull limit the damage before the interval.

Fulham continued to push for a second goal after the restart, determined to avoid another frustrating result after dropping eight points from winning positions in the league this season.

King missed another opportunity when Tzolakis stretched out a leg to save his effort, while the Hull goalkeeper also stopped Iwobi from close range as the midfielder continued to influence proceedings.

Iwobi remained Fulham’s standout performer and later delivered an inviting cross for Gonzalo Garcia, whose header struck the crossbar.

Despite Fulham’s dominance, the hosts had to remain alert, having conceded four goals after the 75th minute this season. Hull, however, failed to register a shot on target throughout the encounter.

Fulham’s task became more difficult when Ryan Sessegnon was sent off late in the match, but they held on to secure all three points.

The victory extended Fulham’s winning run against Hull City to five consecutive head-to-head matches, while the Tigers remained without a league win in their last five outings after an encouraging start to their return to the top flight.

For Iwobi, the decisive strike marked an important personal milestone as he opened his Premier League goal account for the season and helped Fulham return to winning ways.