Premier League
Fulham 1 (Gudmundsson OG 90’)
Leeds United 0
Fulham: Leno (GK), Tete, Bassey, Andersen (C), Wilson (Traore 60’), Muniz (Jiménez 84’), Berge (Cairney 84’), Iwobi (Kevin 76’), Lukic, King (Smith Rowe 60’), Sessegnon. Subs not used: Lecomte (GK), Castagne, Diop, Robinson.
Leeds: Darlow (GK), Bogle, Gudmundsson, Ampadu (C), Struijk, Rodon, Longstaff, Calvert-Lewin (Nmecha 68’), Aaronson (James 77’) (Gnonto 89’), Stach, Okafor (Harrison 68’). Subs not used: Meslier (GK), Bijol, Tanaka, Justin, Gruev.
Referee: Craig Pawson
Booked: Berge (Fulham) Stach, Okafor (Leeds)
Venue: Craven Cottage
Attendance: 27,327 (2,700 away)
Leeds United were cruelly denied a deserved draw away at Fulham as the hosts grabbed all three points in the dying moments at Craven Cottage.
Ahead of kick off in the capital, boss Daniel Farke made five changes to the team that drew with Newcastle United last time out.
The German recalled Ethan Ampadu and Brenden Aaronson to the starting lineup as well as handing full Premier League debuts for the club to Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. An enforced switch meant the injured Lucas Perri was replaced by Karl Darlow between the posts.
Backed by a vocal travelling contingent, the Whites began the clash in the September sunshine enjoying spells of possession as they searched for an early opening.
A dangerous Anton Stach corner caused problems in the hosts’ penalty area after a quarter of an hour which ultimately ran through for Aaronson.
The American international hooked a clever delivery back into the middle that was powered towards goal by Calvert-Lewin, forcing Bernd Leno into an important intervention.
In a half dominated by the midfields, chances were few and far between. Fulham had a brief sight of goal when a hopeful long ball over the United defence was brought down by Rodrigo Muniz.
Charging through, the recovering Joe Rodon was well positioned to hack clear before the Brazilian could work a shooting opportunity.
A mazy, marauding run towards the edge of the opposition’s penalty area then saw Jayden Bogle let fly, whose powerful strike cannoned off a white shirt and away.
Approaching the break, Farke’s side came desperately close to taking the lead. A bouncing ball 20 yards out was met by the onrushing Sean Longstaff.
The midfielder unleashed a rasping drive that had Leno beaten all ends up but the effort crashed off the crossbar, leaving the woodwork shaking until referee Craig Pawson brought the opening period to a close.
HALF TIME: Fulham 0-0 Leeds United
Both sides emerged from the interval unchanged. The weather, however, had other ideas as the heavens opened torrentially in the capital.
Darting through the driving rain and into the Cottagers’ penalty area, Stach’s low cross was inventively flicked goalwards by Aaronson, forcing Leno into a superb reaction save at his near post as Leeds impressed from the off.
A crucial last-ditch challenge from Kenny Tete then charged down Okafor’s close-range shot after clever build up play before Leno got down well to save Bogle’s testing low drive.
Moments before the hour mark and Marco Silva’s side would have taken the lead if not for a sensational save by Darlow.
A whipped Harry Wilson free-kick arrowed towards the top corner, denied by the fingertips of his compatriot at full-stretch!
With just over 20 minutes remaining, first activity from Farke’s dugout introduced Lukas Nmecha and Jack Harrison into the action, replacing Calvert-Lewin and Okafor respectively.
Darlow was again busy moments later, clutching Muniz’s back post header. The Welshman’s busy afternoon continued, tipping Emile Smith Rowe’s left-footed effort onto the post and away from danger.
Sasa Lukic then went close for Fulham as the game entered its dying stages along with Adama Traore, both unable to guide opportunities on target, but the winner would come cruelly in the final moments as the ball ricochetted off Gabriel Gudmundsson and into the back of the net.
FULL TIME: Fulham 1-0 Leeds United
