Tim Ream does not usually score goals. Why should he? After all, this is a finesse-based center back, who does most of his good stuff when the camera isn't on him. He is not a great header of the ball, nor is he one to rip them from range. This is not a footballer who most teams would count on to provide in front of goal.
That is a valuable context for what happened on Dec. 26, 2022. The World was in the midst of recovery from the 2022 World Cup. And in the post-Qatar haze, Ream bashed home a wonderful strike for his club - marking his first goal in a Fulham shirt. It came at a crucial juncture, too. Fulham had lost back-to-back games before the World Cup break. Crystal Palace, away, seemed a good opportunity to pick up some valuable points. Ream sealed all three emphatically and helped set off a winning run that got the Cottagers' season back on track.
GOAL US takes a look at a moment that was deceptively decisive in the scope of Fulham's Premier League season.