The home fans came to worship Matheus Cunha but left dejected thanks to a dazzling piece of skill from another Brazilian.
Had Wolves won here, they would have moved eight points clear of the bottom three. As it was, Rodrigo Muniz’s gorgeous chip barely a minute after the restart kept Fulham dreaming of European football next season.
Wolves had already conceded 60 seconds into the match to Ryan Sessegnon’s precise strike and though Joao Gomes equalised in the 18th minute, there would be no comeback after Muniz’s decisive contribution and there were some boos at full-time.
The result justified Marco Silva’s decision to make five changes from the home defeat by Crystal Palace, while Wolves will continue to feel jumpy as they hover above the relegation zone.
Though Wolves had plenty of possession and territory, they rarely worried Bernd Leno after the break and this could yet turn into a special season for the Cottagers.
Silva also switched to a back three and saw his tweaks pay off instantly as Muniz found Andreas Pereira, who sent Sessengon through to shoot confidently beyond Jose Sa.
Rodrigo Muniz’s 47th-minute strike secured all three points for Fulham against Wolves
The Cottagers got off to the perfect start when Ryan Sessegnon slotted past Jose Sa in the first minute
Joao Gomes restored parity with a thumping half-volley in the 18th minute of the clash
Wolves responded positively, though. Matt Doherty, Andre and Gomes had all gone close before Rayan Ait-Nouri nutmegged Timothy Castagne, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde whipped over the cross and when Nelson Semedo took a fresh-air shot, Gomes crashed the loose ball home.
With both teams prepared to attack, it made for an enjoyable half. Santiago Bueno made a fine block to stop Muniz putting Fulham back in front and Leno tipped over Matheus Cunha’s powerful drive – though with team-mates in the middle, the Brazilian ought to have squared it.
Having conceded in the first minute of the match, you might have thought Wolves would be more attentive at the start of the second half. Not so, as Muniz was allowed to cruise on to Adama Traore’s pass and produce a delightful first-time finish – a chip over Sa from just outside the box.
Then from a similar spot at the other end, Cunha went for power over precision and hammered into the South Bank and former Wolves hero Raul Jimenez – on for Muniz – wasted two late opportunities to make the game safe.
