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Leeds United Cut Down At The Cottage – Match Report

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Leeds United went down to a 2-0 defeat at Fulham on Tuesday evening as they were unable to build on their win against Bolton Wanderers on Friday.

A goal in each half for Fulham from Kevin McDonald and Aleksander Mitrovic ensured the home side extended their unbeaten run to 18-games as they kept the pressure on the top two in the Championship.

Leeds made one change to the side from the one that beat Bolton with Samu Saiz replacing Pierre-Michel Lasogga in the starting line-up.

Fulham dominated the early exchanges with Mitrovic firing an effort wide.

Floyd Ayite was next to go close for the home side but his effort came back off the post.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell then denied Mitrovic with a good save, as the home side looked for a breakthrough.

Fulham went ahead in rather fortuitous fashion when Mitrovic headed towards goal and the ball hit the back of McDonald, leaving Peacock-Farrell wrong-footed as the ball crept into the corner of the net.

The goal sprang Leeds into life as they forced Fulham back without testing Marcus Bettinelli in the Fulham goal as they went in behind at the break.

Leeds were enjoying more of the game in the second half but Fulham were looking dangerous on the break and Ayite, Mitrovic and Ryan Sessegnon all went close to doubling the lead for the home side.

Ezgjan Alioski thought he had brought Leeds level when he fired past Bettinelli only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

Any hopes Leeds had of getting back into the game saw an unfortunate twist just past the hour. Caleb Ekuban had a fantastic chance to equalise when he got in behind the Fulham defence but Bettinelli denied the Leeds striker and a swift break eventually fell to Mitrovic and he fired past Peacock-Farrell to double the lead for the home side.

Leeds had chances to reduce the deficit with the best falling to substitute Jay-Roy Grot but he could only head over the bar from close range.

Leeds were forced to play the closing stages with just ten men when Matthew Pennington was forced off through injury with Leeds having already used their three substitutes.

Pablo Hernandez almost grabbed Leeds a late consolation goal but he fired a free-kick just wide in stoppage time.

Teams

Fulham

Bettinelli, Targett, Ream, Odoi, Fredericks, McDonald (Kalas 88) Cairney, Johansen, Ayite (Norwood 66), Mitrovic, R Sessegnon

Subs not used

Button, Piazon, Christie, Kebano, Kamara

Leeds United

Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Jansson, Pennington, Berardi, O’Kane (Phillips 22), Ronaldo Vieira, Hernandez, Saiz, Ekuban (Lasogga 72), Alioski (Grot 72)

Subs not used

Lonergan, Pearce, Anita, Cibicki

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