Report: Fulham 2-1 Leeds United
Whites defeated after 11 games.
Sky Bet Championship
Fulham 2 (Mitrovic pen 7, Onomah 69)
Leeds United 1 (Bamford 54)
Fulham: Rodak, Mawson, Ream, Christie, Bryan, Reed (Johansen 90) Onomah, Decordova-Reid (Sessegnon 90+2), Cairnery, Cavaleiro (Knockaert 90+6), Mitrovic. Subs not used: Bettinelli, Kebano, O'Riley, Kamara.
Leeds: Casilla, Ayling (Stevens 72), Cooper, White, Dallas, Phillips, Klich, Hernandez (Alioski 3), Costa (Nketiah 45), Harrison, Bamford. Subs not used: Meslier, Berardi, Gotts, Casey.
Booked: Reed, Bryan, Mitrovic (Fulham), Klich, Cooper, Costa, Alioski (Leeds)
Referee: T. Robinson
Venue: Craven Cottage
Leeds United’s 11 game unbeaten run in the Sky Bet Championship came to an end with a narrow 2-1 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Leeds made a bright start to the game when Jack Harrison found Helder Costa with a cross, who saw his deflected strike well saved.
Leeds were dealt a blow just after, when Pablo Hernandez pulled up with injury, meaning Ezgjan Alioski was introduced in the third minute.
Three minutes later, the hosts were awarded a dubious penalty. Ben White was adjudged to have nudged Bobby Decordova-Reid resulting in referee Tim Robinson pointing to the spot. Aleksandar Mitrovic stepped up to take the spot kick and found the net via the post.
Leeds looked to hit back straight away and Stuart Dallas sent Patrick Bamford into the Fulham box, but he couldn’t find the target from a narrow angle.
Harrison played Dallas into the area in the 24th minute, but he was denied by a fine stop by Marek Rodak who kept the home side in front.
Harrison then picked out Mateusz Klich with a neat cut back, but the Poland international saw his strike bounce out off the post.
Bamford provided a good knock down for Dallas to strike from the edge of the box, but his effort went wide of the mark.
Following a well worked Leeds corner, Bamford struck on goal and was denied by Rodak, but offside was called on the forward, before he again went close with a header following a Kalvin Phillips free kick.
Half time: Fulham 1-0 Leeds United
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa introduced striker Eddie Nketiah at the break, but it was the visitors who nearly went further ahead in the 49th minute when Mitrovic had the ball in the net from a well worked Ivan Cavaleiro free kick, but the offside flag ruled out his effort.
Leeds levelled the scores five minutes later. Alioski played Nketiah forward and his strike could only be parried by Rodak and Bamford was on hand to slot home the rebound.
Alioski was next to test Rodak when a deflected Harrison cross fell into his path, but he couldn’t get the better of the Fulham stopper with a header.
Kiko Casilla was then called into action, he made an outstanding save to deny Cavaleiro’s long range strike, which looked destined for the top corner.
Fulham regained their lead in the 69th minute. Following a corner and hold up play by Mitrovic, the ball fell to Josh Onomah who lashed home.
In the closing stages and in stoppage time, Leeds threw the kitchen sink at Fulham. From a corner, Phillips found Alioski on the edge of the box and he volleyed just over.
At the death, Ben White then saw a header back across goal deflect towards goal, before being cleared off the line from another set-piece, as Fulham held on to condemn Leeds to defeat.
Full time: Fulham 2-1 Leeds United
