Pedro Neto scored in the third minute of added time to earn Chelsea a dramatic West London Derby victory on Sunday.
Match report
Pedro Neto produced an injury time winner to save Chelsea's Champions League dreams – and their self -respect.
The Portuguese wing player shot a stunning shot home to grab a last sigh victory that completed a dramatic change of ten minutes.
Fulham went on the way to their first double above their neighbors before sub Tyrique George equalized in the 83rd minute.
And three minutes after the stopping time, Neto jumped against a stylish rising shot that handed his team an undeserved victory, but that she lifted in sixth place in the Premier League table.
They are still two points in fifth place – the benchmark for Champions League qualification – but a first competition win since December is a huge relief for under boss and so on Maresca.
His side went to their nearest derby on Thursday on the back of losses to polish Legia Warsaw in the Conference League and an overwhelming draw at home to struggle Ipswich last Sunday.
Fulham was so close to rewriting history and boss Marco Silva and his players will be stripped to throw away their precious lead so late.
Winger Alex Iwobi put them in the front in the 20th minute and they looked like holding up until Rookie George and Neto Chelsea dug out of trouble.
George came up for striker Nicolas Jackson in the 78th minute with the blues without ideas and steam.
But the graduate of the Home Grown Academy got stuck to a fulham Full Back and Skipper Antonee Robinson's error to bring a powerful shot of 20 meters to the level just five minutes after emerging.
And with the visitors who pressed, Neto scored one of the best goals of his career to complete a three -man movement in which Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez were involved to defeat Leno with a Thunderbolt Drive.
However, Chelsea was the second best for the vast majority of the game and came out of prison with this late double.
The defeat is said to have left them in seventh place with only five games of the season left and press Baas Maresca.
The two teams in West -London are only two stations apart on the district line tube and play for the 40th time in the same season.
Fulham has never succeeded in beating their illustrious neighbors twice in the same campaign and will never get a better chance.
They won 2-1 in Craven Cottage on Boxing Day and were within a mustache hair of achieving an unprecedented victory before George and Neto broke their hearts.
Match -Events
0 'The game is about to start!
3 'Fulham's goal is not allowed due to offside
10 'Palmer's shot from the edge of the box is stored
13 'Wrong of Colwill while he brings Jimenez down
14 'Reece James' free kick is saved by the keeper
20 'Iwobi gives hosts the leadership as Sessegnon helps! Fulham 1-0 Chelsea
20 'Madueke delivers a cross, but Jackson misses the chance
24 'Bassey is shown the yellow card while he pulls down Enzo
29 'Colwill has been booked yellow for tackling Jimenez
45 'Sessegnon wins a free kick in the attacking half like Cucurella errors
47 'Colwill breaks into the box, but his attempt is stopped by defender
53 'Jackson tries to deliver a cross, but it is cleaned up by the defender
54 'Gusto left shot from outside the box is stored in the left under corner
56 'Jackson's Pass finds Neto, but his shot is saved by the keeper
61 'Sancho's effort is saved by the keeper
70 'Palmer's left shot in the box is too wide
78 'Jackson is being replaced by George
83 'Super-sub George Nets equalizer with his first effort! Fulham 1-1 Chelsea
89 'Tosin Adarabioyo replaces Malo Gusto for an injury
94 'Neto-Scores Last-Gasp winner for blues such as Enzo helps! Fulham 1-2 Chelsea
Line-ups
Fulham XI: Leno, Jimenez, Tete, Andersen, Iwobi, Lukic, Pereira, Berge, Antonee Robinson, Sessegnon, Calvin Bassey
Subs: Willian, Tom Cairney, Traore, Castagne, Harrison Reed, Harry Wilson, Steven Benda, Carlos VinÃcius, Jorge Cuenca
Chelsea XI: Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Robert Sánchez, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Madueke, Enzo, Caicedo, Colwill, Nicolas Jackson
Subs: Adarabioyo, Sancho, Dewsbury-Hall, Badiashile, Jørgensen, Gusto, Lavia, Josh Achampong, Tyrique George