LONDON (Interstat) — Issa Diop and Tom Cairney scored first-half and second-half goals respectively Sunday as Fulham FC opened its Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United before an announced crowd at Craven Cottage in the Hammersmith & Fulham borough.

Diop, a defender, found the net in the 20th minute to put the home side ahead. The goal came after a sequence that began with a cross from left back Antonee Robinson, who was credited with an assist. Fulham maintained its lead through the remainder of the first half and into the second, with Cairney, a midfielder, doubling the advantage in the 80th minute. The assist on Cairney’s goal was awarded to substitute Yoane Wissa, who had entered the match earlier in the second half.

The victory gave Fulham a 1-0 record in Premier League play and a 1-0 mark across all competitions. Newcastle dropped to 0-1 in the league and 0-1 overall.

Defender Jorge Cuenca also recorded an assist for Fulham, though the specific play was not detailed in game statistics. Midfielder Bruno Guimarães, who entered as a substitute for Newcastle, was also credited with an assist, although Newcastle failed to convert any of its chances into goals.

The match featured four yellow cards. Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães was booked in the 64th minute. Fulham substitute Yoane Wissa received a yellow in the 70th minute. Fulham’s Antonee Robinson was cautioned in the 89th minute, and Fulham’s Jorge Cuenca was shown a yellow in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time.

Fulham’s defense, anchored by Diop and Cuenca, held Newcastle without a shot on target for long stretches and limited the visitors’ attacking threats. Newcastle’s midfield struggled to create clean chances, and the forward line was unable to break through a compact Fulham back line. The hosts controlled possession for much of the game and created several opportunities beyond the two goals, though the score line remained unchanged after Cairney’s strike.

Robinson’s assist was his first of the season, while Wissa and Guimarães each contributed off the bench. The match was the first of the Premier League season for both sides.

Fulham’s performance was a strong start to the campaign under manager Marco Silva, who saw his team execute a disciplined game plan. Newcastle, under Eddie Howe, will look to regroup ahead of its next fixture.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Fulham FC 1, Newcastle United 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Newcastle United with a 61.00 percent probability to win.