Yorkshire | Leeds attack fails to fire again

Fulham 1 - 0 Leeds United

A late own goal from Gabriel Gudmundsson cruelly handed Fulham a first Premier League victory of the season at the expense of Leeds United. 

Author | Oliver W

Stadium | Craven Cottage

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Gudmundsson inadvertently guided a headed clearance into his own net, giving Marco Silva’s side a fortunate three points.

A more detailed analysis of what happened

The first half at Craven Cottage was largely uninspiring, with both teams struggling to create meaningful chances and repeatedly misplacing passes in the final third. Leeds produced the clearest opportunities, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sending a free header straight at Bernd Leno and Sean Longstaff’s rasping strike clipping the top of the crossbar.

Brenden Aaronson also tested Leno early in the second half from Anton Stach’s delivery, while Jayden Bogle’s tame long-range effort was comfortably held by the German keeper.

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Fulham began to show more attacking intent midway through the second half. Karl Darlow, standing in for the injured Leeds first-choice keeper Lucas Perri, made a fine save to keep out Harry Wilson’s free-kick, Fulham’s first attempt of the match. Deadline day signing Kevin also forced Darlow into action with a curling drive, tipped over the crossbar as the home side pressed late.

From the resulting corner, however, Gudmundsson’s misjudged clearance allowed Fulham to snatch a stoppage-time winner, lifting them above Leeds in the table on five points.

Farke's attacking worries continue

Leeds manager Daniel Farke made wholesale changes to his forward line at Craven Cottage, replacing Wilfried Gnonto, Lukas Nmecha and Daniel James with Noah Okafor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson.

The visitors may have created the better chances before the hour mark, but the bold switch failed to pay off as Leeds extended their run without a goal from open play to four league games.

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Calvert-Lewin should have done better with his first-half header, although he may have been just offside when meeting Aaronson’s cross, while Longstaff was unlucky to see his powerful strike graze the top of the bar.

Nmecha, James, Gnonto and Jack Harrison all came on in the second half, but by then Fulham had already taken control.

It was a cruel conclusion to a match that neither side deserved to win, but Leeds will need to improve in attack against bottom club Wolves next weekend if they are to have any chance of returning to winning ways.

Reaction from the away end

Away end defiant in defeat

Woodeylufc posted on Instagram: “Painful one that. It was a very solid away performance until a bit of controversy involving the linesman and the referee, which led to Fulham being awarded a corner. I would have been very happy with a point away from home, but in the final third we are lacking massively. Honestly, I couldn’t predict how this season is going to play out. Anyway, we take it on the chin and move on to the next one.”

Liam, another Leeds fan, added: “I still think that we are a bit short up front. The Fulham subs did very well for Fulham, ours did little to nothing and probably aren’t good enough.”